TSA Body Scanners: Do They Even Work?

By: Laura Strickler
Topics: News

A sign stands in front of the first Advanced Imaging Technology unit at John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 8 passenger security checkpoint.

/ Getty Images

Updated: 5:01pm

TSA scanners are causing some pilots to revolt.

Privacy advocates fear they are intrusive and a group of doctors in San Francisco want the FDA to do an analysis of the radiation risk... but do the scanners even work?

It appears the Obama administration wants to keep that information classified.

Earlier this year at the request of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) investigators from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) attempted to smuggle bomb making materials past the scanners at various airports around the country but when the report was released it was "classified."

"The Obama administration which is now responsible for keeping airline passengers safe doesn't want you to know the results of these tests," Senator Grassley said on the Senate floor in September.

Grassley says he asked the GAO to publish a declassified version of the report with results that did not include details of which airports were tested but the administration would not allow it to be de-classified. "Keeping the results secret will accomplish one thing, however, it will ensure the public has no idea how effective our airport screening strategy is ," Grassley said.

Another report on the scanners was done by the Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security . Investigators tested the devices in eight airports using federal agents disguised as passengers to see if the items they had on their person were detected by the controversial whole body scanners.

A summary of the report was published in March 2010.

But good luck getting your hands on what they found.

The report notes: "The number of tests conducted, the names of the airports tested, and the quantitative and qualitative results of our testing are classified."

The Government Accountability Office has criticized TSA's internal testing of the machines. TSA is using $300 million in stimulus spending for the passenger screening program in addition to regular annual spending to install whole body scanners across the country. TSA has spent $42 billion on aviation security since 9/11.

But the agency's success has been mixed when it comes to introducing new technology. For example, TSA bought and deployed over 200 puffer machines made by GE and Smiths Detection. They constantly broke down and became choked with dust. TSA says it cost them over a million dollars just to bring them all back to DC headquarters.

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by dmeske August 3, 2011 4:53 PM EDT: Hi,
TSA is out of control! Have you travelled in the public sector lately? I travel for business each month and it is getting worse fast, we need to act now! The radiation scanners, also known as the naked body scanners are not proven to be safe and now TSA is telling me that they changed the software and now it's like a sonogram and that they will be removing the metal detectors and forcing us to go through these radiation body scanners.

TSA is more akin to a terrorists group than any other terrorist group we have had in America,

TSA blatantly tried to talk me out of getting the pat down, which is so damn invasive, feeling my crotch, my breasts, yes they do this and my waist band of my pants. They are up to something, this is a violation of our Human and Constitutional Rights, please help to stop this!!!

Where is the scientific evidence that these machines are safe? The evidence they finally put up is not scientific and doesn't say anything, it's gibberish.

Please help us!; Reply to this comment


by kcartman December 23, 2010 6:19 AM EST: http://www.saynotopatdowns.info; Reply to this comment


by bounce-cbsnews December 1, 2010 10:20 PM EST: As long as a person is deciding if the person is carring something explosive on to a aircraft people make errors where the machines that snif you with a puff of air and then analize the air for explosive signitures and if found ock you in and display on the screen the explosive found for agents to then do additional screening with a hand unit that will sniff out explosives in a controled area. All of this has been developed by the goverment national labs years ago at labs such as Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs run by the Department of Energy.; Reply to this comment


by 12inchmark November 21, 2010 9:25 PM EST: As a frequent Platinium International flier and regular air traveller, no where in the world have I ever had to go through such a debacle. I do not really have an issue as long as I arrive safely BUT whether a body pat down or xray - with my junk the size it is, will probably make most male TSA agents insecure with themselves and if a female x-ray observer is on duty I refuse to give her my number or contact details!; Reply to this comment


by jando57 November 21, 2010 9:07 PM EST: I rather fly safely than in fear. If someone is trying to get onboard with an explosive device I would like the authorities to stop it. I don't care how they do it I just want it stopped. There are other ways to accomplish terrorism and I'm not going to mention them here. (I do not want to put ideas in a terrorist mind) But I hope that the authorities are always thinking one step ahead of these maniacs.
You have got to think like a mad man to stop a mad man.
This situation was put upon us since 911. DON'T EVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.
Terrorist have alresdy accomplished one goal that they have set out to do. They have hinderred our Free Flowing Freedom. Now we have to be looking over our shoulders. Let the authorities do what they have to do in order to secure our safety. I understand that it is degrading and it make US feel like WE are the criminals. But better safe than sorry.
With all our technology, I am sure that there will be a better way to detect explosives in the future. I sure hope the government is working on something as we speak. Until then, TAKE IT LIKE A MAN. And thank the @#$%$#& terrorist for what we are going through today.; Reply to this comment


by Lisadamole November 21, 2010 5:13 PM EST: ENOUGH! I'm no terrorist, for crying out loud. I'm not flying until this silliness gets settled. You want the invasive searches to stop? When the airlines lose business because we refuse to tolerate the way they treat us, the way TSA treats us, you can bet they will find a new way to manage passengers.
Flying has gotten to be such a horror show. The shoes, the toiletries, the extra fees, the battle over the overhead bins, and if you wear an underwire bra or have a knee replacement, the pat-down. I'm done. Time for airlines to lose a little money. This crap has gone too far.; Reply to this comment


by stacysscott November 19, 2010 11:32 AM EST: As with all things that we do they are recantionary- the bombers do this so we spend billions to make sure they can't do that. Do we think they are stupid? If at first you don't succecd try something else, seems to be their motto. We are spending no money protecting our rail system, or our water sources, or the internet. Guess what in my view the terriorsts have just won! We can no longer move about our country in a free manner. Please lets take away the terroist victory and give us back our freedom!; Reply to this comment


by EC_67b November 19, 2010 11:15 AM EST: Of Course the scanners do not work. If they did the results of the testing would not be classified. The deception goes on and US tax payer dollars go away. We are like lambs being led to slaughter.; Reply to this comment


by rabidopinion November 18, 2010 3:22 PM EST: The machines are blocked by moist sanitary napkins and such. This happens with some elderly passengers, females, and very young travelers. It happens several times an hour in any busy TSA line. It is part of their training.

They just don't want you to know their billions are so ineffective. So simply place a bit of water in a maxi thin, put it into place, get scanned, throw it away after passing through.

Doesn't this make you fell soooooo much safer? What a joke.; Reply to this comment


by hanleymike November 18, 2010 8:39 AM EST: www.xrayrisk.com has more info on radiation and cancer risk including an online calculator that lets you calculate radiation dose and estimate cancer risk from CT scans, x-rays and procedures. The site also allows users to log-in and track their imaging history.; Reply to this comment