body scanner radiation body scanners
PBS Special Highlights Risks of Airport Body Scanners
A PBS Newshour special highlights the radiation risks and security flaws of airport body scanners. The program follows EPIC's Freedom of Information Act lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security. EPIC's suits forced disclosure of documents detailing the health risks and privacy hazards posed by the scanners as well as the proposed use of the scanners on public streets and in train stations. EPIC also sued the agency, asking the DC Circuit Court of Appeals to suspend the airport body scanner program. The court ruled that the TSA violated federal law when it installed body scanners in airports for primary screening across the country without first soliciting public comment. The European Union recently adopted strict guidelines that effectively prohibit the use of backscatter x-ray body scanners. For more, see EPIC: EPIC v. DHS and EPIC: Whole Body Imaging Technology