Ben Shoemate's Notebook

You know those naked scanners that we're seeing at the airport that use backscatter radiation to show snoopy security staff high-resolution detailed images of your genitals, breasts, etc? The ones that aren't supposed to be storing those images from your personal involuntary porn shoot?

Well, the US Marshals have just copped to storing over 35,000 of these personal, private images taken from a single courthouse scanner in Florida.

What's more, another machine used in a DC courthouse was returned to the manufacturer with an unspecified number of naked images on its hard drive.

A 70-page document (PDF) showing the TSA's procurement specifications, classified as "sensitive security information," says that in some modes the scanner must "allow exporting of image data in real time" and provide a mechanism for "high-speed transfer of image data" over the network. (It also says that image filters will "protect the identity, modesty, and privacy of the passenger.")

"TSA is not being straightforward with the public about the capabilities of these devices," Rotenberg said. "This is the Department of Homeland Security subjecting every U.S. traveler to an intrusive search that can be recorded without any suspicion--I think it's outrageous." EPIC's lawsuit says that the TSA should have announced formal regulations, and argues that the body scanners violate the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits "unreasonable" searches.

Feds admit storing checkpoint body scan images (Thanks, Master Pokes!)