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Posts Tagged ‘securitytheater’

Toy Soldier Army

23 Nov
An anonymous reader reimagines the TSA's logo.

 
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Man at San Diego airport opts out of porno scanner and grope, told he’ll be fined $10K unless he submits to fondling

13 Nov

Johnnyedge checked the TSA's website and learned that the San Diego airport had not yet implemented its porno-scanners, so he went down to catch his flight. When he arrived, he discovered that the TSA's website was out of date, and the naked scanners were in place. He opted out of showing his penis to the government, so they told him he'd have to submit to an intimate testicle fondling. He told the screener, "if you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested." After faffing around with various supervisors and supervisors' supervisors, he opted not to fly, collected a refund from the American Airlines counter, and started to leave the airport. But before he could go, the supervisor's supervisor's supervisor told him he wasn't allowed to leave the checkpoint once he entered it, that he was already in for up to $10,000 in fines, and that he would have to return and allow the man's minons to palpate his genitals before he'd be allowed to leave the airport. After he objected, he was left cooling his heels for a long time. Finally, he asked if he was under arrest, and being told that he wasn't, but that he would be sued for $10K if he tried to go, he said, "you bring that suit" and left. Most of the incident was recorded on his phone, and has been posted to YouTube.

TSA encounter at SAN



 
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Feds admit to storing tens of thousands of images from naked scanners – unknown number leaked back to manufacturer

09 Nov
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!)

 
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What parents worry about, what parents should worry about

08 Sep
From NPR, a list of 5 common parental worries that are extremely unlikely, and the top five risks for kids: the gap between the two is the source of much anguish, bad policy, and danger:
Based on surveys Barnes collected, the top five worries of parents are, in order:

1. Kidnapping
2. School snipers
3. Terrorists
4. Dangerous strangers
5. Drugs

But how do children really get hurt or killed?
1. Car accidents
2. Homicide (usually committed by a person who knows the child, not a stranger)
3. Abuse
4. Suicide
5. Drowning

5 Worries Parents Should Drop, And 5 They Shouldn't (via Schneier)



 
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