Alpha Flight Guru Travel Blog
07.24.2011

Who Said the TSA’s Not Trying?

Posted By Kellie0 Comments

Only a few short weeks ago we wrote a blog concerning the health and physical safety of the Travel Safety Administration’s new full-body scanners. In it, we were able to consider different viewpoints and, more importantly, different studies that demonstrate there is no major health risk. However, we didn’t address the hail-storm of criticism that the TSA has received because of the potential embarrassment and awkwardness associated with the invasion of privacy that the scanner’s capture.

Many have argued that the images the scanners produce are nearly nude photos of passengers and constitute an assault on our rights. The dilemma has gained momentum particularly for underage passengers, including young children. Well, the TSA apparently agrees that it is disconcerting to have such images available, even if only to trained professionals. The Administration has begun testing a new software that provides an equivalent level of security but produces a generic body outline rather than a fully nude image of the traveller.

TSA Administrator John Pistole explained, “This software upgrade enables us to continue providing a high level of security through advanced imaging technology screening, while improving the passenger experience at checkpoints.”

The new software is currently being used in four airports. However, over the course of the coming months, the software upgrades to the 241 millimeter wave body-scanning machines, made by L-3 Communications, will be installed in all 40 airports that utilize the machines. The TSA is currently testing a similar software that will be utilized for the 247 backscatter scanners (made by OSI Systems Inc.’s Rapiscan Systems unit) that are in 38 airports nationwide.

So after all of that griping, we can be relieved that our privacy does matter to the TSA just as much as our safety and security!

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