TSA Tries to Get it Right With More Modest Body Scanners
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:42AM TSA began testing a new, more modest body scanning system at three airports -- McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
New software ditches the revealing body images and instead displays generic, chalk-outline images that reveal no sensitive areas.
"We believe it addresses the privacy issues that have been raised," TSA chief John Pistole said at a news conference.
When travelers pass through a scanner, they can see their generic chalk outline on a monitor. If a green "OK" appears on the screen, they can pass. If the scanner detects something, a box will mark the location of the object on the outline of the body, triggering a patdown.
In two months, TSA will assess the results and make the determination to install the software on 250 airport scanners nationwide.
