$1B TSA Behavioral Screening Program Slammed As "Junk Science"

schwit1 writes The Transportation Security Administration has been accused of spending a billion dollars on a passenger-screening program that's based on junk science. The claim arose in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which has tried unsuccessfully to get the TSA to release documents on its SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques) program through the Freedom of Information Act. SPOT, whose techniques were first used in 2003 and formalized in 2007, uses "highly questionable" screening techniques, according to the ACLU complaint, while being "discriminatory, ineffective, pseudo-scientific, and wasteful of taxpayer money." TSA has spent at least $1 billion on SPOT. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 2010 that "TSA deployed SPOT nationwide before first determining whether there was a scientifically valid basis for using behavior detection and appearance indicators as a means for reliably identifying passengers as potential threats in airports," according to the ACLU. And in 2013, GAO recommended that the agency spend less money on the program, which uses 3,000 "behavior detection officers" whose jobs is to identify terrorists before they board jetliners.

Comments

Security theater

[king neckbeard]

TSA policies are security theater. Film at 11.

Re:Security theater

[Anonymous Coward]

I refuse to visit the US because of this. It's not because of the people.

When the TSA makes unreasonable demands of me and they try to explain it with "if you have nothing to hide..." I'll have a very hard time not to reply with "Post your private parts on the internet. Or do you have something to hide?"

I don't think this tactic would go well over for the TSA employees. :)

Re:Security theater

[Virtucon]

I can assure you it's not just bad for people coming to the US, it's bad for everybody traveling within the US. The TSA security theater causes more delays than bad weather and the current "open, transparent" administration has put billions more into this charade. I travel sometimes every week and it's a pain in the ass. Because of this I always opt out of being scanned and force the pat down. It frustrates the officers and other travelers because you get to stand aside while a screening agent comes to get you. Yeah it adds 5 to 10 minutes per checkpoint but you know what I get special satisfaction in doing it especially if I haven't used deodorant that day.

Re: Security theater

[Anonymous Coward]

Unlikely. Typical of people here to focus on the worker's pay while the real culprit is consultants and other profiteers. That's ok though, right? I mean if a private company takes your money it's just fine in libertarian world, right?

Surprised the first comment wasn't more irrelevant union bashing.

Re:Security theater

[gewalker]

The TSA is bad you US citizens including those that don't fly.

1. Over 7 billion dollars in 2014 budget for TSA
2. Who know how many lost tourism dollars>
3. Long distance driving to avoid TSA.
4. Loss of freedom encouraging government to further encroachment of freedoms.

Re: Security theater

[knightghost]

The problem here isn't the science, it's the pork.

Behavioral science is half of a police officer's job. Problem is (besides pork barrel mismanagement) is that minimum wage TSA don't have the training, experience, or often the intelligence to use it effectively. Many airports that do this effectively will simply hire a good local police department to accomplish it.

As for bashing the TSA, every time they try to do something reasonable (like ok nail clippers) they get fired by the politicians. So track the problem down to the source - dishonest politicians and the apathetic and ignorant public that votes them in.

Re:Security theater

[jsepeta]

If security theatre is the reason you refuse to visit the USA, you're an idiot. There's dumb stuff happening in other countries too, I assure you.

Re: Security theater

[Noah Haders]

One of my favorite blogs calls these BDO's "truth wizards". Too bad the blog is dormant, it was always good for a laugh. Www.takingsenseaway.com.

Re:Security theater

[dave420]

And he probably won't go to those places, either. You don't seem to have a point.

Re: Security theater

[K. S. Kyosuke]

I thought the problem was that while basic behavioral instincts are important to police officers, there's been a tendency to use it as some sort of magical crystal ball? The delusion of having an ability to recognize terrorists by how they walk or something would certainly qualify for that.

Re:Security theater

[Nkwe]

The TSA security theater causes more delays than bad weather.

Citation please. While I agree that the TSA is mostly annoying security theater, my personal experience has been that bad weather has delayed me in getting to my destination more that the TSA has.

I travel sometimes every week and it's a pain in the ass. Because of this I always opt out of being scanned and force the pat down.

If you travel that often, why haven't you signed up for the PreCheck program? It lets you go back to the pre 9/11 security screening procedure. Truly frequent travelers can get in the program free via their airline, otherwise the application fee is not significant with respect to other travel costs and is worth it.

I get special satisfaction in doing it especially if I haven't used deodorant that day.

You intentionally frequently travel on a plane in tight quarters with lots of other people and you opt not to use deodorant?

Re:Security theater

[dave420]

Or maybe I'm out living my life, socialising, and having a generally-awesome time :) I'm flattered by the attention and concern, however. Thank you very much.

Re:Security theater

[spire3661]

"If you travel that often, why haven't you signed up for the PreCheck program?"

Ihre Papiere Bitte.......

Re: Security theater

[TheCarp]

Or we could embrace the power of AND..... they all belong under the same heading of "worthless waste".

Re:Security theater

[freeze128]

*NOBODY* wants to see the private parts of any TSA agent.

Re: Security theater

[TheCarp]

Good luck with that in a world where the public consider Rand Paul a model libertarian based on the media telling them its so ignoring both his actual party affiliation and that his stated policies are to libertarian philosophy what cheese product is to sharp aged cheddar.

Re: Security theater

[knightghost]

There is no silver bullet, but calling psychology a delusion only shows ignorance of the science.

"Soft Sciences" are really just those with many variables. Training and experience deal with those rather than hard formulas that can be computed through software.

Is that person nervous or relaxed? That comprises hundreds of variables. Are they defensive to questions? What about their return trip (while they are thinking they won't return)? etc etc etc

Security is also layered. First is basic software profiling based on information about the person and flight. Second is physical screening. Third is behavioral screening. The list goes on.

I'm a frequent traveler and see the TSA has 90% theatre. That won't change because the voters only want a warm fuzzy feeling, the politicians only care about votes and kickbacks, any sensible TSA executive gets fired, airlines are constantly trying to eliminate security for cost savings, and screeners are minimum wage employees (untrained, inexperienced). There's simply no driver to improve the situation.

Re: Security theater

[TheCarp]

Actually thats demonstrably false. The only evidence I need is.... the entire history of airport security prior to the creation of the TSA.

Was airport security always a joke? You bet it was. It was always as much of a joke as it is now, but, it was a lot cheaper and, private security was not NEARLY as abusive to paying customers.

Fact is, without government intervention, all this security mumbo jumbo would quickly blow over and security would be downsized appropriately. We pay quite a lot for the ever present paranoia of committees charged only with pissing themselves at every shadow.

Re:Security theater

[TheCarp]

> It lets you go back to the pre 9/11 security screening procedure.

You mean, the excessive procedure that was security theater and hardly needed EVEN THEN? Yes paying more to get back to what was already excessive theater sounds like quite a win.

at least back then the fact that the security had to answer to people with a reason to keep customers happy was a very important check on how ridiculous it got, we lost that.

Re: Security theater

[Eunuchswear]

Behavioral science is half of a police officer's job. Problem is (besides pork barrel mismanagement) is that minimum wage TSA don't have the training, experience, or often the intelligence to use it effectively.

You mean TSA employees are to dumb to tell when someone is black?

Because that's how the police do it.

Re:Security theater

[Gliscameria]

Security overall in US airports is an average hassle compared to most places. TSA isn't going to make any unreasonable demand. You're going to be in a line, read the signs and move through just like everyone else. Don't like millimeter wave? - They've got regular old metal detectors for that. People opt out all the time... mainly because they have no understanding of the technology. There was a harsh transition period when TSA got started because a lot of airports were not designed for having secure areas, and honestly, they didn't know what the hell they were doing. Does it really do anything? I don't know, but it does feel a bit nicer when you're in a tin can miles above the earth.

Re:Security theater

[Gliscameria]

For someone that travels so much you'd think you'd do PreCheck and not even have to deal with that shit? Even in the poverty line things move alright. Outside of the holidays it's extremely rare to have security take more than 30 minutes.

Re:Security theater

[fahrbot-bot]

TSA policies are security theater. Film at 11.

It's a toss-up as to what irritates me more, the assertion/fact that it's crap or that they spent/wasted $1 Billion on it (even if it weren't crap).

Re: Security theater

[sycodon]

The Israelis seem to have a pretty good method

Re:Security theater

[Virtucon]

PreCheck isn't in all airports and terminals, yet. Of course there's been a resurrection of Clear as well but again, it's competing with PreCheck.

Re:Security theater

[Virtucon]

If you travel that often, why haven't you signed up for the PreCheck program? It lets you go back to the pre 9/11 security screening procedure. Truly frequent travelers can get in the program free via their airline, otherwise the application fee is not significant with respect to other travel costs and is worth it.

I'm already PreCheck but a lot of places don't have it yet and there is the random factor. For example, Las Vegas which is one of the worst places to go through with a domestic 2 hour pre-flight arrival recommendation. I guess they do that so you can gamble more before boarding the flight or going through the checkpoint.

You intentionally frequently travel on a plane in tight quarters with lots of other people and you opt not to use deodorant?

Not intentionally but only when I go through special airports on my list. It also cuts down on people reclining their seats. ;-)

Re: Security theater

[cbhacking]

Taking Sense Away is/was a great blog. I hope we get more from it soon. Since discovering it, I've found a few other TSA-focused blogs, but none that amused and informed me as much.

Re:Security theater

[cbhacking]

The driving one is actually a really important point that deserves its own mention. Driving is a *lot* more dangerous than flying, even including Sep 11 and everything since. It not only wastes more of your life (takes longer), it (on average) shortens it. Keep people pissed off about TSA bullshit enough to drive instead of fly for long enough, and the TSA will (actually, quite possibly already has) be responsible for more American deaths than the Sep 11 terrorists.

One site reporting the story (though not the primary source): http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-...

Re: Security theater

[Darinbob]

Keep the public scared and you keep getting re-elected. Keep making the opposition government look incompetent then you keep getting re-elected. Thus if someone wants to allow nail clippers it's a two-for-one win: remind people why they're scared and point out how a government agency is too stupid to ban nail clippers.

The incentive program for politicians is wrong, they're not being paid more if they do a good job.

Re: Security theater

[sumdumass]

You forgot an important thing. If the airfair covered ghe cost of security, i would only be paying for it when i used it. I would also have the option of not paying which would also decrease the costs by not molesting me and grandma.

Re: Security theater

[Mitreya]

I'm a frequent traveler and see the TSA has 90% theatre.

Do you care to identify the 10% that you consider non-theater? Because I travel often, and I don't see it. There is, for example, not even a consistency with respect to how they do pat-down when you refuse the scanners. It really seems like they are making it up as they go along (or maybe it is city-based, I haven't compiled data). The only consistent thing they are taught to do is to check behind the ankle.

Re:Security theater

[brianwski]

In San Francisco Airport (SFO) PreCheck is often the longer slower line now. It makes more sense NOT to do PreCheck now.

An alternative would be to default people to PreCheck, call it "regular", and do away with the security theater parts of TSA immediately and forever. Like the quart container of liquids limit - which you can easily circumvent if you are a terrorist in several undefeatable ways - such as hiding liquids in prescription liquid bottles (hint: they do not ask you to produce any prescription) Or alternatively two terrorists meet in the bathroom past security and combine their liquids into one - instant and full proof defeat.

Re: Security theater

[TubeSteak]

The problem here isn't the science, it's the pork.

Pork has nothing to do with it and the science isn't all that bad.
The problem is that SPOT is a diet-version of Israel's behavioral screening program, which is what makes it a waste of money.

SPOT leaves out the naked profiling that Israel uses and it also completely neglects the intrusive (and lengthy) questioning of travelers.
Basically, the two pieces that make it at all effective.

To summarize, the Israeli system could never be fully transplanted into the USA because
1. It profiles based on race, religion, and country of origin
2. It is manpower intensive
3. It puts security before anything, including your family of 5 missing their flight.

Re: Security theater

[Anonymous Coward]

The fastest way thru security.

1) I lost my bag with my ID in it. I have my boarding pass.

2) get walked to special place for private screening

3) proceed to gate.

Re: Security theater

[Noah Haders]

Heres a better link: https://takingsenseaway.wordpr...

Now I read Papers Please . similar content, unfortunately lacks the humor/absurdity of taking sense away.

Re: Security theater

[Ksevio]

And yet their security process still takes hours to get through (but you can keep your shoes on!)

Re:Security theater

[BitterOak]

Yep. And how much are these "behavior detection officers" making? 6 figures?

They have to be paid those high salaries. Cause otherwise, if they really have the skills it is claimed they have, they could be making a fortune on the World Poker Tour.

Re: Security theater

[sjames]

The delusion is that someone who is not by any stretch of the imagination a psychologist will be able to apply it well enough to pick out actual terrorists with any success beyond chance based on a 5 minute interview. Particularly when a number of passengers will be nervous about flying in general, about security in general, or possibly nervous about their destination no matter how they get there, etc etc.

Re:Security theater

[JohnFen]

If you travel that often, why haven't you signed up for the PreCheck program? It lets you go back to the pre 9/11 security screening procedure.

No, it doesn't. It just moves a lot of the intrusive, unnecessary searching into the electronic realm instead of the physical. Personally, I think this is the worst possible option. I won't touch precheck with a ten foot pole.

Re:Security theater

[JohnFen]

but it does feel a bit nicer when you're in a tin can miles above the earth.

It does?? It certainly doesn't do that for me. The only effect the TSA has is to make me hate flying.

Re:Security theater

[rtb61]

Well, if they are living in a country without all that dumb stuff going on and they are likely to be quite aware of that, they will holiday at home, rather than run the risk of an abusive attack by US border authorities. Why spend thousands of dollars to be abused, threatened, treated like a terrorist, have you stuff stolen before you even leave the airport. Demand good manners and you will brutally arrested, detained and abused for 24 to 48 hours and then deported, so seriously why bother when there are so many other better choices.

Re: Security theater

[Anonymous Coward]

To summarize, the Israeli system could never be fully transplanted into the USA because
1. It profiles based on race, religion, and country of origin
2. It is manpower intensive
3. It puts security before anything, including your family of 5 missing their flight.

As opposed to the TSA, which:
1) consistently applies the same rigorous standard, never spending extra time on "stacked" females,
2) is a model of automated efficiency with a single attendant monitoring an entire airport,
3) has never, either out of malice or incompetence, delayed travelers who then missed or risked missing their flight?

Also, if you fly a charter flight, you don't need to use the TSA checkpoints at all, you can drive up the the plane, have them load your bags unchecked, have zero personal body checks and then fly as you are anywhere you want.

Re: Security theater

[mr.mctibbs]

Did you actually read that article? The system described is nightmarish, authoritarian, and not workable on the scale of US air travel.

Or do you simply admire their profiling of ay-rabs?

Re: Security theater

[Noah Haders]

looks like I effed the url. https://takingsenseaway.wordpr...

Let me guess

[NotDrWho]

A billion dollar program to tell screeners that the Arab guy or black guy who is shaking like a leaf, mumbling "allah-ackbar" over-and-over under his breath, and wants to check a huge bag should maybe be singled out for additional screening.

Re: Let me guess

[ColdWetDog]

No, no. You've got it all wrong again.

$900 million for the company running the screening program. Peanuts for the peons.

Re:Let me guess

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, except terrorists dress as average tourists. They aren't completely brain-dead. They are trained.

The 'Arab guy or black guy who is shaking like a leaf, mumbling "allah-ackbar" over-and-over under his breath' probably just has fear of flying.

Re:Let me guess

[Lumpy]

Whew....

General Ackbar and "its a trap" is ok then in the security line....

Re:Let me guess

[Major Blud]

"They aren't completely brain-dead."

I'm pretty sure that somebody willing to blow himself up on the premise that he'll receive 72 non-existing virgins in a place that doesn't exists ruled by a made-up deity fits of the definition of brain-dead pretty well.

Re:Let me guess

[MetalliQaZ]

You're confusing brain-washed with brain-dead. Different things.

Re:Let me guess

[JeffOwl]

Deluded, uneducated, and stupid are separate concepts.

Re:Let me guess

[cdrudge]

It's "Allahu Akbar". Allah Ackbar was the deity that Admiral Ackbar worshiped.

Re:Let me guess

[drinkypoo]

You're confusing brain-washed with brain-dead. Different things.

They're the same in that neither person is really thinking. They're different in that brain-dead people don't bother anyone else. They just lie there and beep occasionally, or lie there and rot.

Re:Let me guess

[schlachter]

Except that would be racist and profiling, so while the black dude is checking in his ticking bomb bag, TSA would be forced to feel up some 4 yr old that their random algorithms chose from the line to ensure they don't unfairly target a black dude.

Honestly, Israel uses profiling and interrogation on all their passengers and it's very effective. They hire intelligent people who don't give a fuck about you getting on that plane if you look suspicious. TSA is just to dumb to do this effectively.

Re:Let me guess

[dave420]

The brain-washed are thinking, though. The brain-washing process just rewired various logical constructs in their brain and lets them continue thinking as they did before, albeit with a modified "firmware", if you will. To say they are not thinking is not going to help in fixing it.

Re:Let me guess

[dave420]

It would just be dumb, as plenty of people would do that for any number of reasons not related to terrorism. Israel's approach is not as simple as you seem to think it is, nor does it rely on "oh that guy fits my stereotype of a terrorist".

Re:Let me guess

[spire3661]

Their young idiots are not much different from the young idiots we send out to fight them.

Re:Let me guess

[magarity]

A billion dollar program to tell screeners that the Arab guy or black guy who is shaking like a leaf, mumbling "allah-ackbar" over-and-over under his breath, and wants to check a huge bag should maybe be singled out for additional screening.

This is why the ACLU is involved. To imply Arab guys mumbling "allah-ackbar" with one way tickets might need extra screening is clearly just racism.

Re:Let me guess

[TheCarp]

Effective implies effect. Effect implies change, what is it you are looking to change? Currently we have an average of 0 terrorist attacks a day, adding up to 0 per year....a number which has, aside from a statistically insignificant number of anomalies, has been the case for well....more than my entire lifetime, which is a bit more than 3 and a half times the lifespan so far of the TSA.

Implementing the invasive and expensive program of questioning everyone with trained staff seems excessive given the magnitude of the problem.

Re:Let me guess

[Eunuchswear]

Honestly, Israel uses profiling and interrogation on all their passengers and it's very effective. They hire intelligent people who don't give a fuck about you getting on that plane if you look suspicious.

Yup. And it's by targeting people who look like Arabs that they stopped Nezar Hindawi from blowing up the El Al flight from London to Tel Aviv in 1986.

Oh, except that the bomb was in the baggage of a pregnant Irish woman. So "profiling" wouldn't have been much use there.

Re:Let me guess

[Eunuchswear]

To imply Arab guys mumbling "allah-ackbar" with one way tickets might need extra screening is clearly just racism.

No, it's clearly just stupid.

Re:Let me guess

[schlachter]

the logic is appealing, bit it's a bit like saying i don't need my pest control service anymore because i don't have insects in my home. until you cancel it and all the insects find out your home is available for rent, you don't know the base state of things.

Re:Let me guess

[Darinbob]

That's because there's never once been a white or east asian terrorist. Actual terrorists aren't going to be shaking like a leaf, they're going to blend in, they'll know the travel routine, no one's going to look at them twice. Some of these guys may be geniuses, like Kaczinski.

Re:Let me guess

[Darinbob]

Was that the motivation of Tim McVeigh? Didn't blow himself up but he's very high up in the terrorist with the most body count list.

Re:Let me guess

[bigtrike]

Suicide bombers are typically well educated. Two-thirds of the hijackers responsible for 9/11 had attended college. Many had degrees.

Don't underestimate the intelligence of these psychopaths.

Re:Let me guess

[TheCarp]

I wouldn't want to live in a home so unhospitable to life that it didn't have some insects.

You may feel the need for constant pest control but, I have never had such a service nor felt the need. Most pest issues that have rarely cropped up have been quite easy to control without professional help, much less retaining a service.

This is more like, retaining a pest service because you read in a book that insects exist and it made you shit yourself.

Re:Let me guess

[Guy From V]

You guys mean Supreme Commander of the New Republic Defense Force Ackbar. Duh. :D

Re:Let me guess

[dave420]

I know it's you, APK. Your bizarre writing style gives it away. I'm flattered I have made such a strong impression on you. Have fun with it!

Re:Let me guess

[cbiltcliffe]

Fuck off, APK. You have nothing useful to add. To either the conversation, or life.

Shyah, as if

[loadedmind]

Thank you Captain Obvious.

Modern-day phrenology

[Anonymous Coward]

For the libertarian-leaning members of the audience, there was a nice article in Cato "Regulation" journal awhile back looking at this issue:

"Screening Tests for Terrorists"
http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/regulation/2013/1/v35n4-4.pdf

The cost of learning

[pellik]

Before SPOT do you think the average TSA agent could readily identify and discriminate against very dark or very light skinned Arabic people? Well, after spending a billion dollars teaching them to do just that I'm sure they're slightly more consistent (maybe).

Re:The cost of learning

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly. SPOT is just a junk science based cover for ethnic profiling .

Re:The cost of learning

[nightcats]

It is an insult to the memory of Data's cat.

Re:The cost of learning

[jythie]

It is also the conservative equivalent of new age, since it involves essentially looking into yourself and 'feeling out' who the bad guys are.

Re:The cost of learning

[Mister Transistor]

Well, half the TSA agents were seeing the same people as black people wearing gold chains, the other half were seeing white people with blue chains.

Re:The cost of learning

[cbhacking]

Oh come on, how has this not been modded Funny yet? My points have expired. :-(

Of course it is ...

[gstoddart]

TSA is a place where money goes to be spent on the premise that spending money on things which do nothing is better than doing nothing, even if the outcomes are the same.

They have a blank check to spend money on stuff with no proof it has any value.

Other than harassing everybody, the TSA has accomplished very little. It's become a money pit which pretends to be keeping us safe.

The TSA can point to very few incidents where they've actually stopped anything related to terrorism. Mostly they just serve to annoy everybody else.

Meanwhile, the baggage handlers are the ones who keep getting caught smuggling stuff.

The TSA is a pathetic joke, beefed up by reactionary politicians, and which utterly has failed to make anybody "safer" by any objective measure. In fact, everything they do seems to be devoid of "objective measure".

Re:Of course it is ...

[RandomFactor]

The TSA is a pathetic joke, beefed up by reactionary politicians,

Having the state (in the form of the TSA) solve our real or perceived issues is a the opposite of a reactionary approach, It is actually a progressive one :-p

Re:Of course it is ...

[nealric]

It's a real life manifestation of the Simpsons "Bear Patrol" episode.

Re:Of course it is ...

[Anonymous Coward]

The TSA is a pathetic joke, beefed up by reactionary politicians, and which utterly has failed to make anybody "safer" by any objective measure. In fact, everything they do seems to be devoid of "objective measure".

That's the point. It's working as intended.

"It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself -- anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offence. There was even a word for it in Newspeak: facecrime, it was called."

Or perhaps the other quote would be more appropriate:

"The purpose of torture is torture. The purpose of power is power. "

Re:Of course it is ...

[bentcd]

TSA is a place where money goes to be spent on the premise that spending money on things which do nothing is better than doing nothing, even if the outcomes are the same.

It that were only the case it wouldn't be so much of an issue.

One billion dollars of pork is just one billion dollars of pork: payouts to the friends of the king, business as usual.

But what they are in fact doing is spending that one billion in order to make the entire rest of the economy less efficient. They are spending one billion so they can make sure another 100 billion is lost or never produced that otherwise would have been.

The one billion isn't the problem, the one hundred is.

Re:Of course it is ...

[rfrenzob]

To move to reduce spending or abolish TSA is political suicide come the next election. "weak on terror", "soft on crime", "doesn't care about the children"...

Re:Of course it is ...

[Bonzoli]

"TSA is a place where money goes to be spent on the premise that spending money on things which do nothing is better than doing nothing, even if the outcomes are the same."

I love this statement. :)

Re:Of course it is ...

[hawkfish]

TSA is a place where money goes to be spent on the premise that spending money on things which do nothing is better than doing nothing, even if the outcomes are the same.

They have a blank check to spend money on stuff with no proof it has any value.

Other than harassing everybody, the TSA has accomplished very little. It's become a money pit which pretends to be keeping us safe.

The TSA can point to very few incidents where they've actually stopped anything related to terrorism. Mostly they just serve to annoy everybody else.

Meanwhile, the baggage handlers are the ones who keep getting caught smuggling stuff.

The TSA is a pathetic joke, beefed up by reactionary politicians, and which utterly has failed to make anybody "safer" by any objective measure. In fact, everything they do seems to be devoid of "objective measure".

I submit to TSA screening because it is the only kind of stimulus money one can get out of Republicans.

Re:Of course it is ...

[cbhacking]

"Very few incidents"... I'm not actually aware of *any* scenarios where they stopped something terrorist-related. It feels like there probably ought to be at least one by now - surely some wannabe terrorist somewhere was too stupid to not get caught - but you'd think they would have made a big deal out of it and I don't remember any such thing. The only terror attempts on American flights that I can remember since Sep 11 made it past the TSA and then were stopped by the passengers.

Meanwhile, the TSA generates headlines such as "TSA seizes record number of firearms" but you have to scroll down to find even an implication (never outright stated) that any of those weapons were intended for malicious, much less terrorist, use. "The vast majority of passengers have no nefarious intent but forgot their firearm in their carry-on bag,"

Working as designed

[dbIII]

A vehicle to get money into the correct pockets.
Who ever said that India and China could ever beat the USA at anything - even corruption.

Re:Working as designed

[Dutch Gun]

I think we've got a long way to go to catch up to India or China.

Re:Working as designed

[Shortguy881]

Really? The US as corrupt as China and India? I'm not saying we live in a bed of roses over here. Corruption is a real problem in the US, but 30 minutes off the plane in either of those countries and you'd do a 180 on that statement.

Re:Working as designed

[dbIII]

Seems to be the target even if the TSA hasn't hit it yet.

Re:Working as designed

[Shortguy881]

Yeah, but saying it doesn't make it so. That's just twisting facts to suit theories.

Re:Working as designed

[dbIII]

It's an observation then - they are acting as if they are heading for the sort of corruption that even China is finding too much to bear.
Is that accurate enough?

Re:Working as designed

[popoutman]

Considering how the US gets laws passed, that's a definition of corruption where I live. It's corruption for a representative to take bribes in return for voting particular ways. The fact that it's done openly and has no outcry from the public always amazes me and tells me that the voting public are complicit in this. It's also considered corruption not to have the civil service draft the actual law text - where in the US the representative brings the text to the floor.

Another way that the US system is thoroughly broken, is the way that bills in most other countries are exactly for the purpose of the bill where in the US you have the riders and amendments that have absolutely nothing to so with the main bill.

When the free market extends into politics, it can only mean bad things for those that cannot afford to purchase their public representatives the same way that the corporates can..

A cat has my tongue

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/house-member-questions-900-million-tsa-spot-screening-program/2013/11/14/ad194cfe-4d5c-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html

They've been trying to get rid of this program for years. GAO recommended it be cut. It hasn't been cut, what more do you need.

I blame political correctness

[slashmydots]

Most terrorists are middle eastern. Unfortunately that goes over about as well as saying men are taller than women. It may be true, but you're not allowed to say it. I suggest they switch to the much, much cheaper system of "if they're brown, pat them down" but nooo, they have to make up some overly-complicated, fake science framework to hide behind.

Re:I blame political correctness

[dave420]

So you start pulling over who you think conforms to the stereotypical look of a terrorist, and the terrorists will stop using people who look like that (if they ever did in the first place). Now you've just wasted all that money, and the terrorists will still get through.

It's not political correctness causing problems, but ridiculous knee-jerk reactions like yours. I seriously hope you are joking :)

Re:I blame political correctness

[Dragonslicer]

"Most terrorists are Middle Eastern" does not imply "Most Middle Easterns are terrorists".

Re:I blame political correctness

[Eunuchswear]

Nor does it imply all terrorists are Middle Eastern, or even that all "Middle Eastern" people look like whatever you think Middle Eastern people look like.

slashmydots is an idiot.

Re:I blame political correctness

[slashmydots]

You're right! We should immediately throw out this one and only accurate and proven statistic and proceed with 100% blind, random searches. That will improve our odds are spotting a terrorists mathematically.

Re:I blame political correctness

[slashmydots]

They "look like" it says they're from a middle eastern country on their passport. That's what you look for.

Re:I blame political correctness

[spasm]

"Most terrorists are middle eastern."

Well that narrows it down to 205 million people. To catch the, what, 15 or so people from the middle east who have actually attempted or succeeded in committing terrorism in the US?

Chatting with passengers

[DRichardHipp]

I recall going through security at the Charlotte, NC airport once, a few years ago, and noticed TSA agents out in the queue making smalltalk with all of the passengers. "Hey, how are y'all doin' today?", "Goin' someplace warm?", "Be sure to take off that belt buckle sir.", "Were are y'all headed?", "Y'all fly much?", and so forth. At first I thought that this was a misguided effort at public relations. But then it occurred to me that those agents were probably pre-screeners looking for nervous and evasive passengers who would then be subjected to additional traditional screening. I don't know what SPOT is and have no opinion of its effectiveness. But it seems to me that chatting up passengers in order to spot potential trouble-makers is probably the single most effective part of the whole TSA process.

Re:Chatting with passengers

[i.r.id10t]

This is a lot like what the Israeli screeners ask of you when you are being checked out.

However, the real difference is the Israelis actually have highly educated and trained people doing this checking and investigation.

Re:Chatting with passengers

[Guybrush_T]

I agreed with the idea. But in airports, many people don't speak english, which will makes them very uncomfortable with some TSA officer mumbling street-english. So, what will be their reaction ? Look nervous and be evasive.

Re:Chatting with passengers

[houghi]

Step one of not getting caught somewhere where you don't belong is to look as if you belong.
e.g. when I was visiting a friend in hospital outside visiting hours, I looked how medical staff walked and copied that (They walk a bit faster and look down so people won't ask questions). I could walk everywhere without any question asked.

When I visit companies, the first thing I take of is the visitors badge as nobody who works there has a visitors badge. Walk as if you belong.

I have walked up to a police line and they let me through, because they thought I belonged there. (I did NOT ask to apss, they just opend it as on a TV show)

Be polite and be sure of yourself and you can walk in almost anywhere. Very easy. Compare it to Social Engeneering in a live enviroment.

Re:Chatting with passengers

[houghi]

If they pick you out only on color, that would be an issue. However we are talking about humans who do "profiling" and then you can evade it by (in this case) seening at ease with small talk.

I could imagine walking around with a bottle of wiskey could turn them off, because terrorists are muslims and they don't drink alcohol. Have a playboy ready and a shaved beard, because then you never could be a terrerest.

Re:Chatting with passengers

[Dr. Evil]

I'm sure the greater part of the Israeli training program is "active duty"

Re:Chatting with passengers

[0123456]

However, the real difference is the Israelis actually have highly educated and trained people doing this checking and investigation.

I've obviously never run into those, then.

Back in the real world, a nutter who's expecting to be shagging his seventy-two virgins in two hours is unlikely to be nervous, whereas people faced with the thought of being dragged off for an interrogation if they look nervous.... probably will be.

SPOT doesn't work?

[Thanshin]

Well. At least they tried.

I guess it's time to go back to the previous method, reading of auras.

Re:SPOT doesn't work?

[bill_mcgonigle]

Well. At least they tried.

It works spectacularly well - for funnelling taxpayer money to politically-connected corporations and government-employee unions.

This was all it was ever designed to do. The ACLU needs to stop pretending there was ever some noble purpose - the most minimal an edifice that was required to get the program implemented was erected to placate the easily-fooled. Acknowledging any good intentions where there are none just encourages this kind of behavior going forward - ACLU might sink their teeth in a bit deeper if they fully recognized the corruption.

Re:SPOT doesn't work?

[freeze128]

Brilliant! Using Kirlian Photography to detect a passenger's intent... That sounds more legitimate than the Junk Science in the report.

That's right.

[Anonymous Coward]

Because of the heavy cockpit doors, the only thing screeners need to do is have a metal detector and an explosives sniffer.

Even if they got on a plane with clubs or whatever, they could cause some mayhem on that plane until they get their asses kicked (except for maybe on a flight to Florida) but they couldn't commit another 9/11.

Re:That's right.

[Kobun]

All of the planes flying can handle going from 1g to -1g. Up / down / up / down / up / down until anyone who isn't strapped in has been beaten senseless (or to death) by the plane's floor and ceiling. Passengers need to do very little.

Re:That's right.

[bigfinger76]

Or beaten senseless against the passengers who are strapped into their seats. Think, man.

Re:That's right.

[Kobun]

More just a comment to illustrate that, once they got the locking heavy cockpit doors in place, the rest of the 'preventing a hijacking' problem was mostly taken care of. It is, however, a REALLY good reason to stay buckled in (tight) at all times unless you're up for the bathroom.

Not surprised

[Enry]

Just like all the other science that they explored. Remember the devices that emitted such harmful radiation that they were relegated to scanning at prisons?

Look, I'll give the TSA props for trying. But I draw the line when they go immediately from "hey, I got an idea" to "here's $1B to implement it before we know if it even works!"/

It is NOT 'Junk Science'

[YrWrstNtmr]

The SPOT program is going exactly what it was created to do
Funnel money from the government (my pocket), into the pocket of the consultants, companies, and employees of whoever built it.

it makes sense to me...

[The Grim Reefer]

Expensive junk science project for an expensive junk agency.

Frankly

[MitchDev]

The entire TSA scam organization is one giant waste of money and a blight on the Constitution.

Re:Terrorism is Easy

[Anonymous Coward]

Sure, don't get the big airborne "boom"

But it's all about the "boom." Terrorism is all about prestige. They get it by knocking out symbols of Western decadence like planes, newspapers, etc.

Re:Terrorism is Easy

[ksheff]

well, the guy in NOLA tried.

Why is that a problem?

[nospam007]

'Junk Science is us' is the motto of the TSA, so why so surprised?

Re: Don't worry, we'll just cut some other program

[Anne Thwacks]

the wealthy are wealthy because they have done something to deserve that wealth

Maybe, but often for a questionable definition of "deserve". Do you include:

Steal from tax payers? Join the local Mafia?

I saw it on TV - must be true

[ripvlan]

There are whole TV shows written around this very idea. One can simply observe mannerisms and jump to fully detailed truths about people. These writers must have something to base these plots lines on - they couldn't publish a TV show if it weren't true ...right?!

So why shouldn't a TSA executive use the idea, sort out the details, get the best scientists/consultants to provide the truthiness, and create the real thing. I mean - isn't this what the Lone Gunmen proposed in X-Files? Secret science that was all true but hidden from us normal folks via conspiracy theories?!

Junk Science is labeled by people who refuse to think outside the box. Go talk to the Creationists - they know what's going on.

It's not ignorance. It's stupidity.

[HBI]

Let's just call it like it is. People are dumb. The monumental stupid that is around me just boggles the mind. I'll relate an example. My local HOA over the last two weeks had a Facebook board post frenzy about a guy who is wandering through the neighborhood rifling through people's unlocked cars. He (or they) leave the unlocked cars alone. Yet the people refuse to lock their car doors. Last Friday, one person's car was stolen, a BMW SUV with the keys in the car, doors open, left unattended and started to warm up on a 45 degree F day. (no warming required, really, for those who can't picture this) There's even a state law against doing just that. There's someone wandering around pillaging unlocked cars, and you leave your car started in front of your house? These people are allowed to vote and participate in society.

Anyway, this level of stupid is one thing. The levels of stupid I see a couple towns over where people get their drugs are...stunning. Imagine CL ads where they list their phone numbers and "420 friendly" or "I'm holding" in the ad?

Politicians know this is their constituency and they play to it. How do you think that dumb hopey changey shit worked? Very stupid people voting.

Innumeracy

[P1h3r1e3d13]

Meanwhile, HOORAY! we're spending less than a quarter of that on real science education. I don't think people parse the numbers in news reports, when they get this big.

TSA

[ThatsNotPudding]

"Thousands, Standing Around" -- Thomas P. M. Barnett

I've always wondered if he meant the obese clone army of Blue Shirts, or Security Checkpoints being a target-rich bottleneck.

You are the problem

[cbhacking]

but it does feel a bit nicer when you're in a tin can miles above the earth

Only if you're utterly ignorant or a complete coward. The TSA hasn't actually stopped any terrorist attempts. They haven't even stopped people from making terrorist attempts - there have been a few (leading to the reasons we now have to take off our shoes, for example) - but the TSA missed those.

If you know how, it's utterly trivial to get shit past the TSA. I routinely opt out and go with the pat-down (which is significantly better security than the scanners, though only about half the time does the agent do a decent job of it) and still get prohibited items through the X-ray in my carry-on bags all the time. It's easy. For example, you're allowed to leave tablets in your bag (apparently, the dangerous part of a laptop is its keyboard? That's all that distinguishes it from a tablet these days) and the ones with metal cases do a pretty great job of blocking X-ray. You can get bottles full of liquids and gels through that way, no problem. I haven't actually tried it with anything that could plausibly be considered a weapon, but that's only subset of prohibited stuff anyhow...

If security theater makes you "feel nicer", you're a weak-minded idiot and part of the problem.

Note that I have no problem with the security practices of a lot of the rest of the world. Unlike the USA, India actually has a terrorist problem, and they are way, *way* better about screening people... but it still takes less time than the USA's checkpoints! (At least, that was my experience the two times I've flown through Delhi.)

Re:You are the problem

[Gliscameria]

Do you know how it was before TSA? Basically no separation between everywhere else and secured areas. Their function is so much as just standing there yelling about your bags, it's separating two areas that for the longest time were not separated. Also, having the cabin secure... crazy idea huh? I'm not for all of the practices, but changing a significant part of the infrastructure for airports is taking some time. Some airports are still adjusting. Sorry, but I do feel a little better knowing that some asshole can't walk in straight off of the street and get on the plane without some form of identification and property checks.

Re:You are the problem

[JohnFen]

Sorry, but I do feel a little better knowing that some asshole can't walk in straight off of the street and get on the plane without some form of identification and property checks.

You couldn't do that even before the TSA bullshit started. I think the last time that was possible was the early 1970s.

Re:You are the problem

[Solandri]

Completely agreed that TSA is just security theater. However:

For example, you're allowed to leave tablets in your bag (apparently, the dangerous part of a laptop is its keyboard? That's all that distinguishes it from a tablet these days) and the ones with metal cases do a pretty great job of blocking X-ray.

The reason you have to remove your laptop is because the circuitry on the motherboard clutters up the x-ray image, making it harder for the people monitoring it to quickly tell what else is in your bag. A tablet is mostly battery with a small circuit board along the edge. Laptop motherboards have been shrinking, but they still take up about half the interior of the laptop thus cluttering up a lot more of your carry-on than a tablet.

And the metal case does very little to the x-rays. You ever read those signs saying not to stick your arms inside the x-ray machine? They're there for a good reason. The x-rays they use are much more powerful than what're used in a medical x-ray, and can produce a clear image through a fair amount of metal.

Re:You are the problem

[cbhacking]

OK, I'll buy that... but then why do they miss bottles in my bags if I position them such that my tablet blocks the X-ray emitter (which is easy to figure out, if you ever glanced at the screens after going through the area)? Are you saying the machine can scan through the (thin) metal chassis of the tablet but then is blocked by the battery, and they're OK with that?

Actually, this is not terribly shocking, I guess. In Europe, for example, you have to take *all* electronics - not just the devices themselves, but also their chargers, external HDDs, etc.) out of your bag. Maybe some of that is wasted time and the X-ray could see through the outside and determine that yep, that's a power brick, but it probably couldn't see anything on the other side and some of those bricks are really big.

Re:You are the problem

[cbhacking]

Securing airplane cabin doors is the only rational lesson we (the US, collectively) learned after Sep 11, and it doesn't require anything even vaguely like the "security" apparatus that is the TSA.

It's been a while, but I definitely remember what it was like pre-TSA. The security checkpoints were pretty much as they are now, except the lines were shorter and you went through a metal detector instead of a scanner that third parties aren't allowed to examine. You didn't need a boarding pass until you got to the terminal itself, but you definitely did there; you could not, in theory, just wander out onto the tarmac or down the jetway (the airports I've flown through mostly use jetways, so you can't get into the passenger cabin from the ground anyhow) and onto the plane.

On the other hand, it's hardly as if "some asshole can't walk in straight off of the street and get on the plane without some form of identification and property checks" today, either. Even if he's drunk. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...
OK, he banged on the engine instead of getting on the plane, but he could have done whatever he felt like. The TSA is bloody incompetent. In addition to that news article (which mentions two incidents on the SAME DAY) from just over a year ago, there are plenty of other examples (the first page of search results, alone, also mentions incidents in San Jose, Tampa, Dallas, and New York).