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Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

schneier.com

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Re: Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

#6
I flew out of MCI (American Airlines) on Sunday evening, confirmed this definitely happened. They asked for books, papers, notebooks, etc.

However, I disagree with one point in the article: I didn't witness them "scanning" the documents with a scanner. They went through the Xray machine in a separate bin, much like your laptop does. Perhaps I missed something.

Re: Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

#7
Kansas City Airport doesn't use TSA screeners, they have a private contractor doing the screening:

https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/screening-partnerships

That said, it seems like this policy is likely a TSA imposed pilot program:

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/05/paper-products-new-tsa-secu...

Re: Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

#8

Okay, tin foil hat time. Maybe they have new machines that can see the print through the paper, and actually scan and store the contents of all these papers in a timely fashion?

There was an MIT reasearcher a while ago (it may have been posted here) using THz wave radar to do this. I think it's the same band (ish) the body scanners use.

Re: Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

#9

Because blobs of paper look to similar to blobs of potential explosives when xrayed. They arent scanning it so much as removing it from the scan of everything else.

Do you know that to be true? Or is it that paper and/or ink blocks scanning and you can hide bombs in it?

Re: Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper?

#10
post #6

I flew out of MCI (American Airlines) on Sunday evening, confirmed this definitely happened. They asked for books, papers, notebooks, etc. However, I disagree with one point in the article: I didn't witness them "scanning" the documents with a scanner. They went through the Xray machine in a separate bin, much like your laptop does. Perhaps I missed something.

Agreed. "Scanning paper" has spying implications. They are just xraying it in its own bin.
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