Airports security is a priority of TSA. The agency ensures passengers and their properties are safe when in transport systems. This includes ensuring airports are safe, no unauthorized access of critical areas of airlines, travelers are thoroughly screened before leaving airports, among other things. In this paper I will look on the surveillance technologies used to scan passengers, perimeter security breaches and ethical issues surrounding the passenger’s screening.
Modern Surveillance Technologies
TSA officers at airports uses advanced imaging technology to screen passengers entering the United States and those in transit. AIT is capable of detecting metallic and non-metallic weapons and explosives without physical contact. Though, many travelers chose to decline AIT screening due to health implications, the fact is AIT does not employ X-ray technology at all and it meets all health standard guidelines. The passengers can choose physical screening instead of AIT, but, there are passengers who must be screened using AIT (TSA, n.d.).
TSA PreCheck is a technology that is faster than the normal screening. In the normal screening one has to remove tight jackets, shoes, liquids, belt, laptops and the like. But, in TSA PreCheck one does not remove these items. The technology is able to speed up waiting time. But, of late the technology has become a choice of many passengers and as a result it is intended purpose has been eroded (TSA, n.d.).
The TSA does profiling of passengers. This includes ensuring all travelers to the United States are not in the list of listed individuals. This involves searching names and other data of passengers in the listed individual’s database. But, this process of profiling is discriminative as it does not treat Muslims and Africans as equal to the whites (Ergün, 2017). The former is screened more than the latter.
Security Breaches at Airports
Terrorists always find loopholes they can utilize to gain access of airlines. The fence breach is a common way that illegal people use to gain access of critical areas in airports. This has made airports authorities to fortify their fences so as to stop illegal intruders. In 2015 the San Francisco airports had the highest cases of perimeter breaches that stood at 41. While, New York JKF had the lowest cases that stood at 12 (Pritchard, 2016).
The conclusions that one can make from the graph that shows how perimeter security breaches occurred and were distributed is that security breach at the airport is an issue that poses a greater risk. This calls for relevant authorities to evaluate the effectiveness of their surveillance systems and integrity of their security personnel. Though, these intruders have not been able to commit an attack or carry out their mission, how they manage to get access to airlines is questions (Pritchard, 2016). For one, how comes the surveillance cameras do not detect them while on the walls? Two, even after noting the occurrence of an intrusion, why does the same keep repeating itself?
The second conclusion is to ask how much these airports are setting aside to ensure their fences are secure. It is very sad to mention that intruders can get into the cockpit without being detected. The airport authorities need to either ensure there is enough security officers manning their perimeters or fortify their walls and ensure surveillance cameras are fully operational (Pritchard, 2016). These breaches at airports are a clear indicator of what is happening in American borders despite the presence of border patrol offices and surveillance cameras.
Scanning of the Social Media Accounts
The Fourth Amendment protects the American people from unwarranted searches and seizures. This is the clause that human rights advocates use to declare what airport security officers do as illegal and unwarranted. The clause though meant to protect the dignity and privacy of all Americans has become an area that is a threat to homeland security. The TSA in collaboration with intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA collects information passengers without their consent or warrant (Doffman, 2019). This raises issues of privacy concerns. Why should airport security officers go through one’s social media accounts while he or she is not a terror suspect?
In conclusions, travelers in airports are screened using technologies that at times intrudes their privacy. Why should Americans be touched their private parts by security officers? Should an individual dignity be compromised for the sake of security? The United States security agencies need to look for screening methods and technologies that at least respects privacy of individuals.
Modern Surveillance Technologies
TSA officers at airports uses advanced imaging technology to screen passengers entering the United States and those in transit. AIT is capable of detecting metallic and non-metallic weapons and explosives without physical contact. Though, many travelers chose to decline AIT screening due to health implications, the fact is AIT does not employ X-ray technology at all and it meets all health standard guidelines. The passengers can choose physical screening instead of AIT, but, there are passengers who must be screened using AIT (TSA, n.d.).
TSA PreCheck is a technology that is faster than the normal screening. In the normal screening one has to remove tight jackets, shoes, liquids, belt, laptops and the like. But, in TSA PreCheck one does not remove these items. The technology is able to speed up waiting time. But, of late the technology has become a choice of many passengers and as a result it is intended purpose has been eroded (TSA, n.d.).
The TSA does profiling of passengers. This includes ensuring all travelers to the United States are not in the list of listed individuals. This involves searching names and other data of passengers in the listed individual’s database. But, this process of profiling is discriminative as it does not treat Muslims and Africans as equal to the whites (Ergün, 2017). The former is screened more than the latter.
Security Breaches at Airports
Terrorists always find loopholes they can utilize to gain access of airlines. The fence breach is a common way that illegal people use to gain access of critical areas in airports. This has made airports authorities to fortify their fences so as to stop illegal intruders. In 2015 the San Francisco airports had the highest cases of perimeter breaches that stood at 41. While, New York JKF had the lowest cases that stood at 12 (Pritchard, 2016).
The conclusions that one can make from the graph that shows how perimeter security breaches occurred and were distributed is that security breach at the airport is an issue that poses a greater risk. This calls for relevant authorities to evaluate the effectiveness of their surveillance systems and integrity of their security personnel. Though, these intruders have not been able to commit an attack or carry out their mission, how they manage to get access to airlines is questions (Pritchard, 2016). For one, how comes the surveillance cameras do not detect them while on the walls? Two, even after noting the occurrence of an intrusion, why does the same keep repeating itself?
The second conclusion is to ask how much these airports are setting aside to ensure their fences are secure. It is very sad to mention that intruders can get into the cockpit without being detected. The airport authorities need to either ensure there is enough security officers manning their perimeters or fortify their walls and ensure surveillance cameras are fully operational (Pritchard, 2016). These breaches at airports are a clear indicator of what is happening in American borders despite the presence of border patrol offices and surveillance cameras.
Scanning of the Social Media Accounts
The Fourth Amendment protects the American people from unwarranted searches and seizures. This is the clause that human rights advocates use to declare what airport security officers do as illegal and unwarranted. The clause though meant to protect the dignity and privacy of all Americans has become an area that is a threat to homeland security. The TSA in collaboration with intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA collects information passengers without their consent or warrant (Doffman, 2019). This raises issues of privacy concerns. Why should airport security officers go through one’s social media accounts while he or she is not a terror suspect?
In conclusions, travelers in airports are screened using technologies that at times intrudes their privacy. Why should Americans be touched their private parts by security officers? Should an individual dignity be compromised for the sake of security? The United States security agencies need to look for screening methods and technologies that at least respects privacy of individuals.
