EPIC Uncovers: Mobile Scanners Not 'Certified People Scanners'

OverTheGeicoE writes "The Electronic Privacy Information Center received more FOIA documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding mobile x-ray scanners (a.k.a. Z Backscatter Vans). We've discussed these devices before. Perhaps the most interesting part is slide #11 ('Disclaimer About Scanning People') on page 6 of this PDF explaining that the radiation output of these devices is too high to comply with ANSI N43.17. In other words, they output too much radiation even by TSA's questionable standards for airport body scanners. Regardless, the slide ends with the author stating that the ANSI standard 'is not applicable to covert operations.' What might that assertion have meant to the presentation's intended audience?"

Comments

Endanger people? Can't prove it!

[NReitzel]

The fact that backscatter scanners use X-rays in amounts that can't meet national standards isn't even an issue.

In point of fact, as long as nobody can prove that they have had a large radiation dose - tough with "nothing in pockets, etc" - then the TSA is off the hook. Time has taught us - those who listen - that politicians don't mind endangering or even killing people, as long as it can't be traced directly back to them, and as long as it doesn't actually apply to them, themselves.

Re:So it's good for you?

[Haedrian]

We irradiate meat to make it safer, so why not people?

Because 'safer' in this context means "Killing everything else that's not just dead meat". The dead cow can't get cancer.

Now I'm thinking about it.. whoosh?

Re:Gee, what a shock

[gurps_npc]

You left out the fact that terrorism is so rare that even if they worked as described, the machines would kill more people than they save.

Re:Here's who to blame - with names

[HiThere]

I never knew anyone who ever desired the DHS or anything similar to it. I knew several people who thought that airplanes should have doors to the pilot's cabin that were locked during the entire flight, but that's a rather different matter.

The DHS was created by those who wanted to increase the "police state" nature of the country, and they were successful. The fact that all it's approaches are security theater is just what it was designed to do, not happenstance or bad management. Security theater keeps people feeling threatened, so that they are easier to manipulate.