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Travelers' Electronics At US Airports To Get Enhanced Screening, TSA Says (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Aviation security officials will begin enhanced screening measures of passengers' electronics at US airports, the Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday. Travelers must remove electronics larger than a mobile phone from their carry-on bags and "place them in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image," the TSA announced amid growing fears that electronic devices can pose as homemade bombs. The TSA was quick to point out that the revised security measures do not apply to passengers enrolled in the TSA Precheck program.
"Whether you're flying to, from, or within the United States, TSA is committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone," TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia said. "It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe. By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats."
"Whether you're flying to, from, or within the United States, TSA is committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone," TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia said. "It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe. By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats."
Is clock boy trying to fly, or what?
This isn't new at some airports. Been going on for at least 8 months.
interrogation
Pre-check is totally worth it. I don't know why more people don't use it. Your privacy is already shot going on a commercial flight, anyway.
I don't respond to AC's.
My employer lends employees phones to travel to the US with. You get it wiped. Arrive in the US and connect through a VPN to get your stuff. Wipe before returning.
So you you pay extra money you get special privileges in what use to be a freedom (travel). So much for the US Revolution and the Declaration of Independence
When I was 19 or 20 I had a laptop that I carried with me in a leather suitcase bag along with a 15" lcd monitor, because I punched the screen so hard the bezel snapped.
I don't think the blue mohawk or trench coat helped matters much, but I wasn't surprised that they swabbed everything that they could for explosive residue testing...may have been DNA who fucking knows.
Point being, that was 15 years ago. I haven't flown since.
DHS has a stellar record of protecting us from our property through at-home deep searches. Whoever doesn't like this new in-airport enhanced screening is probably a terrorist.
Does this really make us safer? I'm already using 5 bins to get through security.
Where are the terrorists with bomb implants? It should not be to difficult to surgically implant a bomb of a couple of kilograms in someone's gut.
It don't expect people who want to rake bombs with them on a plane, are worried about medium/long term health risks.
So it's juggling with 5 more plastic bins one handed while the other hand tries to hold pants up because your belt is in one of them.
I'd like to apologize to the people behind me but it's in our both interest that I put belt and shoes on before I start moving again.
I don't care about having to spread out the contents of my luggage or having to strip down, but having to do so in a queue is a terrible idea! NOT EVERYONE CAN TIE THEIR SHOELACES WHILE STANDING ON ONE LEG. Espescially not while pressured to move from the guy behind you. A simple bench to help you put on your shoes again would work wonders. Then a little space to pack or unpack your stuff or little trolleys to move your stack of bins away from the x-ray quickly....
bickerdyke
What an interesting way for the "State Department" to insert it's malware.
Practically everything the TSA does is security theater anyways, this is just another one of a long list of not really effective things they do to make a big show and make everyone 'feel' safer.
I'd rather they spend that money on things that work, or on almost literally anything else.
In a bit of shameless internet panhandling, I accept Litecoin Donations at Lbd2oH9QsthD1GfuUXPyka12YxvWJYnBVf
They look at ur dildo too close, what
. . . they searched for homemade bombs posing as electronic devices? Instead of electronic devices posing as homemade bombs? (Bob: "Look there's a homemade bomb in this purse!" Dave replies: "Nah! That's just a pocket calculator posing as a homemade bomb")
Terrorists 100 US citizens 0
Ever get the feeling you lost a war?
Given the trend in phones, pretty soon there won't be electronic gear bigger than a mobile phone that still fits in the overhead bins. Problem solved. No more need for screening.
and how many bombs have the U.S. dropped on foreign countries, killing foreign civilians? The hypocrisy and paranoia is real. Screw America, take your vacation elsewhere where you are welcome and not treated as a terrorist.
I think this policy makes sense. It helps them x-ray things more efficiently. But as someone else mentioned, it makes things less efficient elsewhere with all the extra bin juggling.
I think the whole mess would be improved if they had more than just one person checking IDs and boarding passes, and processed more passengers in parallel. It's not the security theater so much as the inefficiency that bothers everyone.
> amid growing fears that electronic devices can pose as homemade bombs.
Shouldn't TSA care more about homemade bombs that masquerade as electronics. If an electronic gadget wants to play make-believe, shouldn't that be covered by AI rights in future ... TSA trying to get in laws ahead of time?
I remember when the 4th Amendment meant something
Then came the Cuban hijackings
And the SCOTUS said "Well, only a FEW SELECT people need to lose their rights"
Camel's nose?
More like Horse's Asses
You know all TSA employee's are given a labodomy before being assigned where to work. All are basically brain dead
Every person that has had this happen has been brown. It's just an excuse to be more racist at the airports.
Let's also ignore the fact that monday all of Orlando International skipped the security checks dod not have to take laptop out of the bag, dont remove shoes or coat, just walk through.
Airport security is theater and an attempt to be racist to those that are not white.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
If either the TSA or the US gov't were competent, they would have done this long ago (like 1/2 year ago).
Whether it is security theater or not, some international business travelers are already not going to the US and reorganizing event elsewhere in fear of business documents (laptop) being held at border.
They can improve it, but international business travelers already have the fear. The damage has been done. Good luck reversing it.
I was about to buy a camera, but after hearing this news, forget it. Those bins are dirty as shit. What if the previous bin user had stepped in dog shit and put his shoes in your bin? Then you put your camera in there and now your camera has dog shit on it.
Given the trend in phones, pretty soon there won't be electronic gear bigger than a mobile phone that still fits in the overhead bins.
Which measuring dimension are considering ?
Horizontal/Vertical width ? - Yeah pretty soon the huge plasma screen in your living room is going to be the only device bigger than a phone and that clearly can't be fit in your luggage.
Thickness/depth ? - Sorry man, soon even your cigarette rolling paper is going to be over the limit.
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I wonder if this will help improve their dismal security record.
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