TSA

[[File:Airport Security (131298863).jpg|thumb|right|165px|The security theater: breaking the fourth wall]]
{{uspolitics}}
The 
'''Touch, Squeeze, and Assault'''
 '''Transportation Security Administration''' is a shitty display of [[security theater]], which does nothing to make us safer while simultaneously violating everyone who wants to ride a plane. It's known for massively overreacting to everything, having never stopped a [[terrorist]] attack. In other words, it's a useless funnel of our money and yet another example of our wasteful response to [[9/11]]. Liberal<ref>[https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/06/airport-security-astoundingly-expensive-and-95-percent-ineffective/394778/ Airport Security: Astoundingly Expensive and 95 Percent Ineffective] by Kriston Capps. ''CityLab''</ref><ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/01/politics/tsa-failed-undercover-airport-screening-tests/index.html Acting TSA director reassigned after screeners failed tests to detect explosives, weapons] by Eric Bradner and Rene Marsh ''CNN''</ref> and conservative<ref>[https://fee.org/articles/the-tsa-was-and-is-a-gigantic-mistake/ The TSA Was and Is a Gigantic Mistake] by Brittany Hunter. ''Foundation for Economic Education''</ref><ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeleef/2014/10/09/tsa-boondoggles-high-costs-low-effectiveness-but-its-only-your-money/ TSA Boondoggles: High Costs, Low Effectiveness, But It's Only Your Money] by George Leef ''Forbes''</ref> sources agree that the TSA sucks. It's cost inefficient, overspending, and a waste of [[tax]]payer money.<ref name="paper"/><ref>[https://www.cato.org/blog/naked-truth-about-tsa-spending The Naked Truth about TSA Spending] by Chris Edwards ''CATO Institute''</ref>

==Effectiveness==
[[File:Provision xray.jpg|thumb|left|165px|An X-ray body scanner]]
A 2001 paper<ref name="paper">[https://politicalscience.osu.edu/faculty/jmueller/stewarr2.pdf Assessing the Risks, Costs and Benefits of United States Aviation Security Measures] by M.G. Stewart and J. Mueller</ref> found it questionable that the TSA helps to prevent terrorist attacks similar to 9/11. The TSA director got reassigned in 2015: after testing by the Department of Homeland Security in which his administration failed to detect fake bombs and weapons 95% of the time.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/US/tsa-director-reassigned-wake-security-failures/story?id=31458476 TSA Director Reassigned in Wake of Security Failures] by Justin Fishel and Mike Levine ''ABC''</ref> The US GAO (Government Accountability Office) had to step in to make suggestions that the TSA provide accurate and sufficient data on '''performance'''.<ref>[http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/677714.pdf Aviation Security PDF] ''GAO''</ref>

TSA's SPOT program has been found to be ineffective by the GAO<ref>[http://www.gao.gov/products/gao-14-158t Aviation Security: TSA Should Limit Future Funding for Behavior Detection Activities] GAO</ref> and by [[Nature (journal)|''Nature'']].<ref>[https://www.nature.com/news/2010/100526/pdf/465412a.pdf Intent to deceive? PDF] ''Nature''</ref> The [[ACLU]] has criticized the SPOT program  as [[racial profiling]].<ref>[https://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-sues-tsa-records-discredited-behavior-detection-program TSA Refusing to Release Documents About Spot Program’s Effectiveness, Racial Profiling Impact] ACLU</ref>{{efn|This pattern of racial profiling has been [[sarcasm|sarcastically]] dubbed "Flying While Muslim."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stepfeed.com/flying-while-muslim-is-an-actual-thing-and-the-reality-is-disturbing-6490|title='Flying While Muslim' is an actual thing and the reality is disturbing|last=Khalife|first=Leyal|date=February 17, 2018|publisher=''Step Feed''}}</ref>}}

Body-scanners used by the TSA, the Rapiscan Secure 1000 full-body scanners, are not good at catching contraband or illegal weapons and can easily be bypassed.<ref>[https://radsec.org/secure1000-sec14.pdf Security Analysis of a Full-Body Scanner PDF]</ref> The TSA ended their contract with the maker of Rapiscan body-scanners in 2013 due to the [[privacy]] risk posed by the machines.<ref name="privacy">[http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/17/business/la-fi-mo-fullbody-scanner-contract-20130117 TSA ends contract with Rapiscan, maker of full-body scanner] by Hugo Martin ''LA Times''</ref> Another body-scanner, the millimeter-wave machine,  regularly reports false positives: it can mistake sweat as weaponry.<ref>[https://www.propublica.org/article/sweating-bullets-body-scanners-can-see-perspiration-as-a-potential-weapon Sweating Bullets: Body Scanners Can See Perspiration as a Potential Weapon] by Michael Grabell and Christian Salewski. ''Propublica''</ref> X-ray body scanners may increase [[cancer]] risk.<ref name="cancer">[https://www.propublica.org/article/u.s.-government-glossed-over-cancer-concerns-as-it-rolled-out-airport-x-ray U.S. Government Glossed Over Cancer Concerns As It Rolled Out Airport X-Ray Scanners] by Michael Grabell ''Propublica''</ref> These scanners have been banned in European countries.<ref name="cancer"/> The TSA removed the X-ray body-scanners in 2013.<ref>[https://www.propublica.org/article/tsa-removes-x-ray-body-scanners-from-airports TSA Removes X-Ray Body Scanners from Airports] by Mark Schoofs ''Propublica''.
</ref>

==Sexual assault and harassment==
[[File:Screening in DTW Airport.jpg|thumb|right|165px|[[Nun]]-a-ya business!]]
{{main|Rape}}
Two TSA screeners were fired for a sexual assault scheme against men in 2015.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-tsa-officers-fired-scheme-grope-hot-men-denver-airport-n341596?cid=par-time-article_20150415 Two TSA Officers Fired for Scheme to Grope Attractive Men at Denver Airport] by Andrew Blankstein and Phil Helsel. ''NBC News''</ref> A former TSA employee stated that sexual assaults against passengers were common.<ref>[http://time.com/3822487/tsa-sexual-assault-denver/ Former TSA Agent: Groping Scandal Is Business as Usual] by Jason Edward Harrington. ''Time''</ref> At LaGuardia Airport, 2015, a TSA agent was arrested for sexually assaulting a woman.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-agent-accused-sexual-assault-laguardia-airport-bathroom/ TSA agent accused of sexual assault at LaGuardia] ''CBS News''</ref> A female TSA employee's criminal charges over sexual assault at the Denver International Airport were dropped in 2014.<ref>[http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/02/05/no-criminal-charges-against-tsa-agent-over-pat-down-at-dia/ No Criminal Charges Against TSA Agent Over Pat-Down At DIA] ''CBS Local''</ref>

Rapiscan body scanners gave TSA agents low-res naked photos of screened passengers to inspect for weapons.<ref name="privacy"/> TSA officers commonly shared low-res nudes of passengers without consent.<ref>[http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1968-we-trade-pictures-your-junk-8-realities-inside-tsa.html 8 Things You Don't (Want To) Know About TSA Checkpoints] by Robert Evans and Anonymous ''Cracked''</ref>

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) had to write a guide for victims of sexual assault regarding the TSA.<ref>[https://www.rainn.org/articles/airport-security-survivors Airport Security for Survivors] ''RAINN''</ref> Angela T. Rye, a [[journalist]] filmed her frightening pat-down where the TSA agent was very close to grabbing her private parts.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/16/opinions/tsa-invasive-pat-down-rye/index.html Dear TSA: The country is not safer because you grab vaginas] by Angela T. Rye ''CNN''</ref> Aida Rodriguez, a rape victim has said that the TSA pat-down made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.<ref>[https://youtu.be/5L6Ho0howeQ?t=3m16s TSA Body Search Leaves CNN’s Angela Rye In Tears '''3:16'''] ''[[The Young Turks]]''</ref> Sarah Beaulieu, a survivor of sexual assault, broke down in tears when faced with the prospect of a TSA screening.<ref>[http://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2016/03/30/what-tsa-screenings-mean-for-sexual-assault-survivors What TSA Screenings Mean For Sexual Assault Survivors] by Sarah Beaulieu ''wbur''</ref> Gina Miller has recounted her sexual assault by a TSA agent.<ref>[http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/miller/170220 My sexual assault by the TSA] by Gina Miller ''Renew America''</ref>

In 2010, a new pat-down method included [[breast]] and buttocks groping and examining genitals.<ref>[https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41502.pdf Changes in Airport Passenger Screening Technologies and Procedures: Frequently Asked Question PDF] by Bart Elias ''Congressional Research Service''</ref> In 2017, the TSA introduced a new even-more invasive pat-down method, of which they warned police departments about increased complaints.<ref>[https://consumerist.com/2017/03/06/tsa-introducing-new-more-invasive-pat-down-method/ TSA Introducing New, More Invasive Pat-Down Method] by Mary Beth Quirk ''Consumerist''</ref>

==Neglect of duty==
[[File:Lol key escrow.jpg|thumb|right|165px|TSA keys are now available to anyone with a 3-D printer.]]
{{expand section}}
People cracked all seven master keys used to unlock luggage in 2015, and the TSA doesn't seem to care.<ref>[https://theintercept.com/2015/09/17/tsa-doesnt-really-care-luggage-locks-hacked/ TSA Doesn't Care That its Luggage Locks Have Been Hacked] by Jenna McLaughlin ''The Intercept''</ref>

It took seven years for the TSA to finally respond to a journalist's Freedom of Information Act request.<ref>[https://www.propublica.org/article/tsa-releases-data-on-air-marshal-misconduct-7-years-after-we-asked The TSA Releases Data on Air Marshal Misconduct, 7 Years After We Asked] by Michael Grabell ''Propublica''</ref> The TSA disclosed data on passenger complaints, four years after he requested the data.<ref>[https://www.propublica.org/article/tsa-reveals-passenger-complaints-four-years-later TSA Reveals Passenger Complaints … Four Years Later] by Michael Grabell ''Propublica''</ref>

==External links==
*{{wpa|Transportation Security Administration}}
*[https://www.tsa.gov/ TSA official website]

Their social media:
*[https://twitter.com/tsa Twitter]
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/TSAHQpublicaffairs Youtube Channel]
*[https://www.instagram.com/tsa/ Instagram]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Authoritarianism]]
[[Category:Government incompetence]]
[[Category:Government surveillance]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Rape]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]
[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:United States government]]

Categories: Authoritarianism, Government incompetence, Government surveillance, Islamophobia, Racism, Rape, Terrorism, Transport, United States government