TSA To Require Separate Scanning Of Electronics 'Bigger Than Cellphone'
from the brought-to-by-minds-'smaller-than-most' dept
The TSA is still in the business of making sure none of your stuff is inside other stuff. Liquids. Laptops. Other things that confuse/frighten failed mall cops. After engaging in a "successful" trial program in ten airports, the TSA is expanding its theater troupe's infliction of misery to airports around the nation.
To ensure the security of airline passengers and the nation’s airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new, stronger screening procedures for carry-on items that require travelers to place all electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes. Following extensive testing and successful pilots at 10 airports, TSA plans to expand these measures to all U.S. airports during the weeks and months ahead.
[...]
As new procedures are phased in, TSA officers will begin to ask travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image.
The press release comes with zero clarification on what "larger than a cellphone" means. Over the last eight years, the size of my smartphone has increased to "larger than a cellphone" when compared to the 2009 iteration. Is this phone/not phone call going to be made by screeners? Is a flip-phone-using former gym teacher who changed careers after reading a particularly effective pizza box ad going to decide travelers' smartphones are nothing more than small tablets and force them to drop them in a bin where they can be pawed at by TSA probers further down the security line?
Because that's exactly the sort of thing we don't need: more TSA personnel/policies stating that bigger is more dangerous. We already have the problem with laptops because the TSA's math says potential threat level is directly proportionate to screen size.
If this doesn't sound like much fun or make much sense, not to worry: the TSA will sell some rights and privileges back to you after a background check and a personal check (from you to the TSA). All others will be expected to dump their electronics in bins and engage in fruitless arguments about whether the phone they're carrying is a cellphone or "larger than a cellphone."
But that's ok, because the TSA is oh so concerned about you, dear traveler:
“Whether you’re flying to, from, or within the United States, TSA is committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone,” said TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia.
Haha… oh my god, she's serious.
God bless the TSA, where enhanced screening is something to be inflicted on travelers, but never job applicants.
The TSA notes this change "may" cause delays during screening, which can be read as "will," especially as everyone gets the hang of the latest thing the TSA's doing (including the TSA). More items will be headed to checked bags, which works out for airlines. And more people will be piled up at security checkpoints, which works out well for terrorists.
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Filed Under: electronics, scanning, security theater, tsa
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https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bb/4a/e8/bb4ae864896b444adbaf8abcb8b86950--iphone--fu ture-iphone.jpg
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(seltzer water, fyi)
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Just a Thought
Just like with 3 ounces of liquids, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt that someone has figured out a way to hide explosives or a weapon (maybe a knife blade?) where the battery pack normally would be. If so, then yes, bigger is more dangerous.
Before the commentariat attacks with "there's no proof of that or the TSA wouldn't catch them anyway", let me suggest that there need to be three categories of TSA/CBP issues:
Would it be nice not to have to pull out tablets, cellphones, etc. and have them x-rayed separately? Sure. But save your outrage for the more important issues. The public has a limited attention span.
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Re: Just a Thought
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Then was warned I needed to have it scanned separately in the future.
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Re: Just a Thought
We know people have figured out how to get weapons past the TSA, because the people auditing the TSA have managed to do it pretty much every time they've tried. And yet there have been no attacks worth mentioning; just because we give them billions of dollars and they can occasionally detect something doesn't mean we're actually safer, if the risk was negligible to begin with. Putting that money toward any public health problem would almost certainly save more lives.
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Re: Re: Just a Thought
Saving lives isn't the object. How would better health care condition the masses to be more compliant?
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If I could control everyone in the world I guarantee you I would be the richest person in the world.
Greed knows no bounds.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Just a Thought
"Is there a good reason to think compliance is the goal?"
Sure, compliance and/or distraction.
How else do you keep the US public from objecting that since the early '80s the average worker's pay has plateaued whilst productivity has risen, thereby allowing the ratio between US company board level salaries and average workers pay to widen from 20:1 in 1980 to ~340:1 today?
Look out!!! Drug-crazed child molesting job stealing Mexican pirate terrorists!!!
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Following extensive testing and successful pilots at 10 airports, TSA plans to expand these measures to all U.S. airports during the weeks and months ahead.
Successful pilots at 10 airports? I wonder which one got it right?
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Success = Increased revenue:
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The screening process failed to yield anything useful.
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Here's a photo I took about 10 days ago in response to AccessNow's US policy manager Amy Stepanovich) wishing people would stop using 'bigger than a cellphone' as a unit of measure.
I just happen to have a bunch of various cellphones (and a tablet that can be used as a cellphone) to show the size difference
https://twitter.com/ktetch/status/887687994781691904
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It will just change behaviour
Every "security option" these bozos try is exploitable with another option that turns it deadly.
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They said larger than a cell phone
http://www.knowyourmobile.com/nokia/nokia-3310/19848/history-mobile-phones-1973-2008-handsets-m ade-it-all-happen
Isn't history fun?
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The only way I'll feel safe flying
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Re: The only way I'll feel safe flying
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This from one of the deadliest terrorist organizations on the planet
The numbers on flights, inspections, etc., are publicly available, on a per-year basis.
Assuming a waking lifespan of (72 years)*(52 weeks/year)*(112 waking hours per week), the numbers say that over the last fifteen years, time wasted by TSA inspections has cost from 7300 lives per year to 10,500 lives per year.
That makes TSA the most deadly terrorist organization on the planet.
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Re: This from one of the deadliest terrorist organizations on the planet
You're measuring purely in terms of lost time. Studies that measure actual risk of death (e.g. in micromorts) have shown that the TSA causes people to avoid flying in favor of more risky transportation (mostly driving), and this actually causes more people to die ("if the proposed TSA boycott reduces air travel by only a fraction of a percent, it offers a golden opportunity to kill and maim thousands more on our nation’s highways").
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Lawsuits for Scrambled data
Or have I got it all wrong and the machines are not using magnetics...?
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Remember, this is OPTIONAL
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Re: Remember, this is OPTIONAL
Bin Laden could be trusted to attack US interests at every opportunity.
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Duh -- that's why it's called "screening"
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Lickspittles, Flunkies and Frogs
TSA To Require Separate Scanning Of Electronics 'Bigger Than Cellphone'
That's it frogs do as you are commanded:
Take off your shoes, empty your pockets, limit the amount of personal hygiene products in your carry-on to 3 ounces or less, unpack your electronic gear for inspection by some know-nothing TSA flunky, and allow yourself and your children to suffer the public humiliation of being gate raped and bombarded with ionizing radiation all in the name of safety.
No, no the water is not getting warmer it is your imagination.
You are such a well conditioned frog (ie serf) you have nothing to worry about as you now genuflect unquestioningly upon the command of some US government lickspittle all for the convenience of air travel.
Congratulations!
Please be a good frog and make sure you arrive at the airport a minimum of 24 hours before your estimated departure so as you may be gate raped and have your personal belongs rifled through without fear of missing your flight.
PS After 15 years of screening and 10 billion passengers exposed to TSA's humiliation and gate rape how many terrorists or terrorist plots have the know-nothing flunkies of TSA uncovered?
Zero, as in zip, zing, nada, nothing!
https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts013_17
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Seems to me the tsa is becoming the terrorist. Spreading fear in travelers minds that everyone is trying to kill you when you fly to America.
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Hahahahahahahaha
Let me laugh even harder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n5E7feJHw0
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New TSA policy to prevent chemical attacks
01) Asparagus
02) Broccoli
03) Brussels sprouts
04) Cabbage
05) Onions
06) Beans and other legumes
This list will be expanded later and a list of restaurants will be added after extensive investigation by TSA officials during meal breaks.
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Laptop Cellphone
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