Backscatter X-Ray at Phoenix is here
 

According to news outlets TSA will start using the new Backscatter X-Ray machine on Friday.

Anyone know which terminal? When this was discussed previously, it was thought to be terminal 4, but I'm sure, given TSA's penchant for (thinking they are ) keeping the terrorists guessing, that could have changed between then & now...

From the articles I've seen in the Phoenix media, the local of this
"strip-search" machine is security checkpoint B in Terminal 4.

The spin will be interesting
 

It will be interesting to read the spin the TSA puts on how the public accepts this invasion of privacy and I wonder if there will be a photo example on the unit so that victims will know how they will be seen in the back room.

Don't worry -- they will send the Eyewitness News team out to MCO and will have no problem at all finding the "anything for security" and "I have nothing to hide" crowd. Then, the TSA Spokeshole will be interviewed with the same spin, proclaim it to be perfectly safe, and caution the sheople that they will be patted down if they refuse to be X-Ray'd.

Either don't dare watch the news today or hope that Britney does something really stupid before about 4:00pm.

[QUOTE=FliesWay2Much;727866 Either don't dare watch the news today or hope that Britney does something really stupid before about 4:00pm.[/QUOTE]

They'll be too busy covering the latest in the Anna Nicole saga anyway...

I heard on the news this morning that it's only for people who alarm the WTMD.

The last sentence in the story tells it all
 

That only applies between 4pm-9pm on MWF when Bob is manning the post.

Well, the TSA thinks we're all criminals anyway because we bought a plane ticket...

TSA Press Release Today
 

[I do not work for the TSA. Please do not flame me.]

TSA Unveils Backscatter Technology Testing at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

PHOENIX, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today unveiled an operational test to evaluate backscatter technology at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX). This new technology can detect weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threat items concealed under layers of clothing without physical contact, and TSA has applied multiple protections for passengers' privacy.

"Privacy and security are not mutually exclusive, and backscatter has potential to be a valuable tool in our layered security approach," said TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. "There will be opportunity for continued public dialogue as we see how this technology works in the airport setting."

During test operations, passengers will participate on a voluntary basis only. In addition to usual effectiveness and suitability assessments, TSA will examine operational issues, including throughput, privacy considerations, training, safety of use and perceptions by the traveling public.

Passengers volunteering to participate in the operational test will be asked to stand for two separate scans, one facing the system and one facing away. A Transportation Security Officer will guide the passenger through the process, and each scan will take less than 10 seconds. The entire screening process will take less than a minute.

TSA's privacy-filtered image looks like a chalk outline of the person's body, and shows any concealed items including weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threat items. The officer attending the passenger will not view the image, and as an additional measure, the officer viewing the image will be remotely located and unable to associate the image with the passenger being screened. Once viewed remotely, the image cannot be stored, transmitted or printed.

X-ray backscatter technology uses a narrow, low intensity x-ray beam, scanned over the body's surface at high speed. The amount of x-ray radiation used for backscatter technology is equivalent to approximately 15 minutes of exposure to naturally-occurring background radiation from sources such as the sun's rays.

For more information about backscatter, please visit our Web site at http://www.tsa.gov/.

Media Contact: TSA Public Affairs, 571-227-2829


Source: Transportation Security Administration


CONTACT: TSA Public Affairs, +1-571-227-2829

Web site: http://www.tsa.gov/

Look at the pictures on the TSA homepage at http://www.tsa.gov and then look at the photos at http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/screen...ckscatter.shtm. Apparently TSA can't decide what exactly will be shown. Groan.

Just remember it's optional and you can choose to have the standard pat down instead.

I can't find it now, but there was a long article on cbsnews.com that IIRC implied that at some point in time its use would become mandatory.

From Yahoo News:
Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., viewed the machine in use at the airport Friday and said privacy concerns have been addressed because the screening is voluntary.
"It does provide a higher level of security," Mitchell said. "Hopefully it will speed the process up. The fact is that we want to be efficient.

I wonder if Rep. Mitchell would be saying the same thing if a TSA agent was looking at the image of his wife or mother.