Transportation Security Administration: Difference between revisions

The new pat-down procedures, which were originally not made public,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2010/11/groping_in_the_dark.html|title=The government's secret plan to feel you up at airports.|last=Saletan|first=William|author-link=William Saletan|date=November 23, 2010|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> "routinely involve the touching of buttocks and [[genitals]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41502.pdf|title=Changes in Airport Passenger Screening Technologies and Procedures: Frequently Asked Questions|last=Elias|first=Bart|date=January 26, 2011|work=[[Congressional Research Service]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/air-transportation-security/debate-over-airport-security/p23673|title=The Debate Over Airport Security|last=Bajoria|first=Jayshree|date=December 28, 2010|publisher=Council on Foreign Relations|access-date=April 7, 2013|archive-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621143819/http://www.cfr.org/air-transportation-security/debate-over-airport-security/p23673|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-21/underwear-bombers-show-limits-of-tsa-s-groping.html|title=Underwear Bombers Show Limits of TSA's Groping|last=Goldberg|first=Jeffrey|date=May 21, 2012|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> as well as breasts.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.katu.com/news/local/108607084.html|title=Replacement hip singles out woman for new TSA pat-down|last=Tilkin|first=Dan|date=November 17, 2010|work=KATU|access-date=April 7, 2013|archive-date=October 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016235320/http://www.katu.com/news/local/108607084.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> These procedures were controversial, and in a November 2010 poll, 50% of those polled felt that the new pat-down procedures were too extreme, with 48% feeling them justified.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/new-poll-suggests-shift-in-public-views-on-t-s-a-procedures/|title=New Poll Suggests Shift in Public Views on T.S.A. Procedures|last=Silver|first=Nate|date=November 22, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> A number of publicized incidents created a public outcry against the invasiveness of the pat-down techniques,<ref>[http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/michigan-man-left-covered-in-own-urine-following-tsa-pat-down-20101122-mr Michigan Man Left Covered in Own Urine following TSA Pat-Down] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123211249/http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/michigan-man-left-covered-in-own-urine-following-tsa-pat-down-20101122-mr |date=November 23, 2010 }} [[Fox News]] Detroit, November 22, 2010.</ref><ref>Mike Clary, [http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/nov/22/full-body-scanners-trigger-concerns-some-fliers/ Full-body scanners trigger concerns for some fliers] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103202710/http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/nov/22/full-body-scanners-trigger-concerns-some-fliers/ |date=November 3, 2013 }}, Sun Sentinel, November 22, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/could_a_pat-down_backlash_crip.html Airport screening horror stories: Could a pat-down backlash cripple holiday airline travel?] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20120911061124/http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/could_a_pat-down_backlash_crip.html |date=September 11, 2012 }}, ''[[The Post-Standard]]'', November 22, 2010.</ref> in which women's breasts and the genital areas of all passengers are patted.<ref name="Sharkey"/> Pat-downs are carried out by agents of the same gender as the passenger.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/transgender-travelers|title=Transgender Travelers|publisher=Transportation Security Administration|access-date=April 7, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411045959/http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/transgender-travelers|archive-date=April 11, 2013}}</ref>

A CBS telephone poll of 1137 people published on November 15, 2010, found that 81% percent of those polled approved TSA's use of full-body scans.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101124133835/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/15/politics/main7057902.shtml Poll: 4 in 5 Support Full-Body Airport Scanners] [[CBS]] News, November 15, 2010.</ref> An ABC/Washington Post poll conducted by Langer Associates and released November 22, 2010, found that 64% of Americans favored the full-body X-ray scanners, but that 50% think the "enhanced" pat-downs go too far; 37% felt so strongly. Besides, the poll states opposition is lowest among those who fly less than once a year.<ref>Nate Silver, [http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/new-poll-suggests-shift-in-public-views-on-t-s-a-procedures/ New Poll Suggests Shift in Public Views on T.S.A. Procedures] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521033700/http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/new-poll-suggests-shift-in-public-views-on-t-s-a-procedures/ |date=May 21, 2016 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', November 22, 2010.</ref> A later poll by [[Zogby International]] found 61% of likely voters oppose the new measures by TSA.<ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/11/new-poll-says-61-oppose-new-airport-security-measures.html Poll finds 61% oppose new airport security measures] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806213843/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/11/new-poll-says-61-oppose-new-airport-security-measures.html |date=August 6, 2016 }}, ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', November 23, 2010.</ref> In 2012, a poll conducted by the Frequent Business Traveler organization found that 56% of frequent fliers were "not satisfied" with the job the TSA was doing. 57% rated the TSA as doing a "poor job," and 34% rated it "fair." Only 1% of those surveyed rated the agency's work as excellent.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-sep-11-la-fi-mo-tsa-survey-20120911-story.html|title=Many frequent travelers say TSA is doing poor job|last=Martin|first=Hugo|date=September 11, 2012|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> On the contrary, a 2018 Rasmussen Reports telephone poll of 1,000 Adult Americans found that 45% of respondents had an opinion of the TSA ranging from somewhat favorable to very favorable, while 39% had an unfavorable opinion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/august_2018/tsa_is_on_the_up_and_up_with_americans|title=TSA Is On the Up-And-Up With Americans - Rasmussen Reports®|website=www.rasmussenreports.com|access-date=November 15, 2019}}</ref>