TSA's New Procedures

[Joopac_Badur]

From what I understand, the big invasive process that TSA has begun to use at airports is that they give you the option to go through a full-body scan that makes you appear nude.

Obviously, some folks are prudes and wish not to be screened naked. That's cool, TSA gives you the alternative to get a full body pat down that involves a groin check.

People are losing their shit over this, and I don't know why. What's the big deal here?

[Tekkactus]

The only thing Americans hate more than terrorists is strangers interacting with their junk. We are the descendants of Puritans, after all.

[Joopac_Badur]

See, that's the thing that's throwing me for a loop. Post 9/11, we lost our shit about lax airport security and berated airports to get in gear to protect us. Now that they're doing something that could potentially keep airplanes safer, we're getting bitchy.

And while I see that people would get upset about nude scans, what is the big deal about getting your junk patted for what's probably no more than two seconds? You have that happen when you get a physical.

People are just idiots.

[Knight]

It's the completely wrong way to go about it. Crazies and extremists will always exist, and you can't outlaw their behaviour because they are crazy/an extremist and ergo do not care what the law says. So all you're doing is wasting time and pissing off law-abiding citizens. It's pretty much the same argument as "if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns!"

Their frustration with the system might turn them INTO terrorists!!!

[eitlobsaboo]

I'd wink at the xray guy/gal as he/she was looking at my junk.. Hahaha

[PyscoUno]

isn't it pointless cose it's only for internal flights? plus going by news reports, sounds like the last terrorist plots are bombs blowing up on cargo planes or gun men in crowded areas becuase of the heightened security. but, the nakedness is probably short term and given the amounts of people at airports and the low quality image for the face. no ones going to pick you out....unless you work there

[Agrajag]

People are losing their shit for a few reasons:

First, everyone hates the TSA. They've slowly been encroaching on our personal freedoms for a while now, but they made a mistake this time and made too big a jump. The way you can turn the heat in a shower up slowly over time and not notice much, but turning from cold to hot quickly can shock you.

Secondly, it's not just a question of being seen naked, it's also that the TSA is being a huge dick about it. They claim that the images aren't and can't be stored, but already a bunch have been saved by workers and leaked online. TSA officials are being totally unapologetic about it, and even saying crazy bullshit like you give up your constitutional rights when you decide to fly. Several people who've decided to opt-out have been harassed and one is getting sued.

Thirdly, the machines have a questionable safety record. It's been calculated that the risk of getting cancer from the device is about the same risk that you'll die in a terrorist attack, in which case it doesn't seem like it's really helping you out. The risks are worse for children and the elderly.

Lastly, the new procedures basically do nothing to keep you safer. Like almost everything else the TSA does, it's just security theater. It's all designed to make you feel safer while not actually doing anything to help the situation at all.


I'm really glad people are up in arms about this. People SHOULD have been upset at the TSA's horrible inefficiencies and privacy invasions for a lot longer.

EDIT:

isn't it pointless cose it's only for internal flights?

Almost the opposite really. It's all flights originating in the US, domestic and international. But of course incoming international flights aren't help up to the same security standards, so incoming flights are still "at risk".

[Ben]

It's fucking ridiculous I rekon.
I mean you get some dude feeling up your junk and you don't even get a happy ending? That's just harsh.

Oh that and the whole TSA have never actually prevented anything from happening in the 9 years since september 11, even after the new hardcore security measures were set up the underwear bomber and the shoe bomber both managed to get onto the plane and we're only stopped by there own incompetence/passenger intervention. The 9/11 hijackers did it with box cutters, not some crazy high tech thing that woudln't be picked up by traditional security measures, but with stuff that should have been picked up by the metal detectors, the naked scanners have allready been shown to be compltetly fucking useless when some guy went on TV in germany and could get through one carrying knives, explosive chemicals etc all on him at once. Also the more harsh security checks (Pat downs and naked scanners) are performed at random for maybe like 4 people on every plane so if a terrorist boards a plane with 50 people on it he only has an 8% chance of getting checked anyway.

Also, have the TSA considered what will happen if they do find a guy covered in bombs?

What is he just going to go "Oh shit, you got me, ok off we go to jail" or is he going to blow himself sky high in a crowded airport?

Also don't you guys have a constitution that says no one is allowed to force invasive searches on you without reasonable cause?

[Bronze]

Yo I'm just going to forget America even exists if that's okay. I don't need to go there.

[Ben]

Yo I'm just going to forget America even exists if that's okay. I don't need to go there.

Pretty much this, there are better places to go were if they are gunna be grabbing my dick they'll atleast get me off.

[Agrajag]

Also don't you guys have a constitution that says no one is allowed to force invasive searches on you without reasonable cause?

Yes. But apparently the people searching us get to determine what constitutes reasonable cause. And they have decided not wanting them to grope you or see you naked is reasonable cause.

I kinda wish I lived somewhere less crazy, like austrailia or europe.

[Tekkactus]

Let's all go build a moon base.

[Knight]

I recently moved to the UK, it's quite lovely.

[PyscoUno]

you enjoying the fog? TSA can find you in the fog

[kleptoman]

Let's all go build a moon base.

This was one of your better ideas.