EPIC: Body Scanners, Pat Downs Violate Law

Marc Rotenberg, the president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, gave his take on the TSA screening debate today in an eloquent CNN.com editorial. His opinion? TSA has crossed a line and the airport body scanner program should be halted. In fact, he's the lead council in a recently-filed court case: EPIC v. Department of Homeland Security.

He writes:

"The courts give the government a great deal of latitude in airports, but it is not unbounded, and the current screening procedures have never been reviewed by a court. Is a court really prepared to say that in the absence of suspicion, these search procedures -- which the law would otherwise treat as an assault -- are 'reasonable'?

"The EPIC case is about more than the Fourth Amendment. As a federal agency, the TSA is also required to follow several laws that reflect American values and help ensure accountability and effectiveness."

The entire article is worth a thorough read. And to see a bizarre smattering of opinions on the topic, make sure you check out the comments section.