Security theater
Security theater is the practice of taking security measures that are intended to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to achieve it. An example of security theater includes tightened airport security measures in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Disadvantages. By definition, security theater provides no security benefits (using monetary costs or not), or the benefits are so minimal it is not worth the cost. Security theater typically involves restricting or modifying aspects of people's behavior or surroundings in very visible and highly specific ways, which could involve potential restrictions of  personal liberty and privacy, ranging from negligible (confiscating water bottles where bottled water can later be purchased) to significant (prolonged screening of individuals to the point of harassment). Critics such as the American Civil Liberties Union have argued that the benefits of security theater are temporary and illusory since after such security measures inevitably fail, not only is the feeling of insecurity increased, but there is also loss of belief in the competence of those responsible for security. Researchers such as Edward Felten have described the airport security repercussions due to the September 11, 2001 attacks as security theater. Increased  casualties. In 2007, researcher at Cornell University studied the specific effects of a change to security practices instituted by the TSA in late 2002. They concluded that this change reduced the number of air travelers by 6%, and estimated that consequently, 129 more people died in car accidents in the fourth quarter of 2002. Extrapolating this rate of fatalities, "New York Times" contributor Nate Silver remarked that this is equivalent to "four fully loaded Boeing 737s crashing each year." Economic costs. The 2007 Cornell study also noted that strict airport security hurts the airline industry; it was estimated that the  6% reduction in the number of passengers in the fourth quarter of 2002 cost the industry $1.1 billion in lost business. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has reported that between October 2008 and June 2010, over 6,500 people traveling to and from the United States had their electronic devices searched at the border. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives, whose member companies are responsible for over 1 million travelers and represent over $300 billion in annual business travel expenditures, reported in February 2008 that 7% of their members had been subject to the seizure of a laptop  or other electronic device. Electronic device seizure may have a severe economic and behavioral impact. Entrepreneurs for whom their laptop represents a mobile office can be deprived of their entire business. Fifty percent of the respondents to ACTE's survey indicated that having a laptop seizure could damage a traveler's professional standing within a company. The executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives testified at a 2008 hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution seizure of data or computers carrying business proprietary information has forced and will force companies to implement new and expensive internal  travel policies. Increased risk of targeted attacks. The direct costs of security theater may be lower than that of more elaborate security measures. However, it may divert portions of the budget for effective security measures without resulting in an adequate, measurable gain in security. Because security theater measures are often so specific (such as concentrating on potential explosives in shoes), it allows potential attackers to divert to other methods of attack. This not only applies to the extremely specific measures, but can also involve possible tactics such as switching from using highly scrutinized airline passengers as attackers to getting attackers  employed as airline or airport staff. Another alternate tactic would be simply avoiding attacking aircraft in favor of attacking other areas where sufficient damage would be done, such as check-in counters (as was done, for example, in the attacks on Brussels airport on 22 March 2016), or simply targeting other places where people gather in large numbers, such as cinemas. Benefits. While it may seem that security theater must always cause loss, it may be beneficial, at least in a localized situation. This is because "perception" of security is sometimes more important than security itself. If the potential victims  of an attack feel more protected and safer as a result of the measures, then they may carry on activities they would have otherwise avoided. Examples. Some measures which have been criticized as security theater include: Etymology. The term "security theater" was coined by computer security specialist and writer Bruce Schneier for his book "", but has gained currency in security circles, particularly for describing airport security measures. Examples of use of the term: