Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010
"Don't Touch My Junk" and the TSA
Late this year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rolled out new inspection techniques that included more aggressive pat-down procedures for those who opt out of going through the new full-body scanners. As Americans recoiled at the invasive new pat-downs, an amateur video was uploaded of a security encounter at San Diego International Airport. A man had used his phone to record his own pat-down, warning a TSA agent, "Don't touch my junk," or else the passenger would have him arrested. Once on YouTube, the video — and the colorful phrase — went viral, crystallizing the concerns of many about a new wave of security that seems to trample some Americans' notions of individual privacy.