Up to now, airline passengers have been able opt out of the TSA's Advanced Imaging Technologies (AIT) whole body scanners, and request a physical pat-down for their security check.
But ProPublica journalist Julia Angwin points out that a rule change on December 18, 2015 now allows the TSA to compel some passengers to use these scanners instead of giving them a pat-down.
The updated rule says, "While passengers may generally decline AIT screening in favor of physical screening, TSA may direct mandatory AIT screening for some passengers," (PDF source).
Of course, the criteria for when this can happen is completely unspecified, and one can easily imagine them abusing this by deciding to compel anyone who requests a pat-down to go through the scanners for some reasonable cause from their perspective.
Guilty until proven innocent?
U.S. authorities blocked a British Muslim family from boarding a plane at London's Gatwick airport.
They were flying to Los Angeles on a trip to visit Disneyworld. "U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials provided no explanation for why the country refused to allow the family of 11 to board the plane, even though they had been granted travel authorization online ahead of their planned 15 December flight."
This comes at a time when prominent groups and individuals within the U.S. are arguing in favor of blocking entrance for all Muslims.
The refusal, and the U.S.'s unwillingness to explain, is raising concern within the UK government.
The family is out $13,340 for their plane tickets.
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