Congressman Chaffetz Seeks to Ban Whole-Body Imaging at Airports
“Nobody needs to see my wife and kids naked to secure an airplane”
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Jason Chaffetz today introduced legislation addressing privacy concerns with Whole-Body Imaging (WBI) machines. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been testing these machines in various airports across the country. Although the original plan was to use the machines only as secondary screening devices, TSA has publicly stated that the plan is now for all passengers to go through WBI machines instead of the walk-through metal detectors.
“Passengers expect privacy underneath their clothing and should not be required to display highly personal details of their bodies as a pre-requisite to boarding an airplane,” Chaffetz said.
The images are extremely detailed, clearly showing a person’s gender. “You can actually see the sweat on someone’s back,” said James Schear, the TSA security director at Baltimore/Washington International Airport.[1] And the only assurance we have that the images will not be stored is TSA’s word.
“Whole-body imaging is exactly what it says; it allows TSA employees to conduct the equivalent of a strip search. Nobody needs to see my wife and kids naked to secure an airplane. At $170,000 apiece, we can hardly afford the machines,” explained Congressman Chaffetz.
The Congressman recognizes safety concerns for our airports and airplanes. “This legislation will balance the dual virtues of safety and privacy and ensure that we do not have to give up one in order to have the other,” said Chaffetz.
Resources
- “We’re just finishing some piloting in six airports in the primary screening position, [and] the plan now is that all passengers will go through the whole-body imager instead of the walk-through metal detector.” Robert Kane, TSA acting chief technology officer. New York Times, April 6, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/ business/07road.html?_r=2&hpw
- The TSA’s own privacy impact assessment, dated October 17, 2008, clearly states that the TSA planned all along to “evaluate WBI technology for individuals undergoing primary screening.” This belies the TSA acting chief’s claim that it was the machines’ excellent performance that has changed the agenda. http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy_pia_tsa_wbi.pdf
- “You can actually see the sweat on someone’s back.” James Schear, TSA security director at Baltimore/Washington International Airport. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080606/a_bodyscan06.art.htm
- “The machines will cost about $100,000 to $170,000 each, depending on the model.” New York Times. April 6, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/ business/07road.html?_r=2&hpw
- “Body scanners produce graphic images of travelers’ bodies and are an assault on their essential dignity.” Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Project. Fox News. April 3, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512246,00.html
- “We’re just scratching the surface of what we can do with whole-body imaging.” James Schear, TSA security director at Baltimore/Washington International Airport. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-06-05-bodyscan_N.htm
- A recent poll showed 52 percent of fliers disapproved of the Whole-Body Imaging technology. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/readers-give-thumbs-down-to-new-body-scanners.html?id=2860867
- WBI machines are the equivalent of “a physically invasive strip-search.” Bruce Schneier. New York Times. April 6, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/business/07road.html?_r=2&hpw
- Jason Chaffetz’ cot-side chat on Whole-Body Imaging: http://www.chaffetz.house.gov
