TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story • Hacker News Board

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#51

Post by samstave » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:39 PM UTC

bpd1069 wrote: post #16

Overlay a thin layer of material over the metal plate (the dark/black region in the images) that has a regular repeating pattern (think checkerboard) that shows objects suspended beyond the body's silhouette. Problem solved.

Isn't it solved by just forcing the scanee to turn to the side, scan front rear and sides?

Great - now the time to get through security just went up!

I mean, the TSA idiots STILL require us to remove our shoes because of some joker with a lighter attempting to burn his foot.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#52

Post by pessimizer » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:40 PM UTC

scelerat wrote: post #17

runn1ng wrote: post #13

To play devil's advocate - he clearly has an agenda and his video is more long and boring political ramblings than something really substantial.

1. Anyone who says they don't have an agenda is lying. Everyone has their reasons for doing anything and everything. 2. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an agenda.

Absolutely. I'm pretty sure that I don't like this guy's politics, his manner irritates me, and every time he says "porn scanners" I get douche chills. But by exposing the truth to the people who pay for it, he's doing god's work and I'm 100% behind him. Not in front of him, but behind him, because he's a brave, tenacious pitbull, and clearly not just fighting for himself.

Of course, if some TSA or government representatives show me proof that he was wrong, and in addition prove to me that this is not security theater for the personal profit of government cronies by dismantling some of Bruce Schneier's premises, I'll be 100% behind them too. It's just not likely that'll happen because this guy and Schneier show their work.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#53

Post by burgerbrain » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:40 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #47

They're not really threatening anything, they're just asking "please don't cover this story". That's their right and it's not censorship unless the journalist faces consequences for covering the story (no future interviews, harassment by the legal system, etc.) It doesn't seem like any consequences are mentioned or implied, so this doesn't bother me. Of course the TSA doesn't want negative press. Would you?

No, they're not asking ""please don't cover this story"". They are "strongly cautioning" them not to, which can reasonably be interpreted as a veiled threat.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#54

Post by hyperbovine » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:40 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #47

They're not really threatening anything, they're just asking "please don't cover this story". That's their right and it's not censorship unless the journalist faces consequences for covering the story (no future interviews, harassment by the legal system, etc.) It doesn't seem like any consequences are mentioned or implied, so this doesn't bother me. Of course the TSA doesn't want negative press. Would you?

The government should not be in the business of telling the press what to cover. Individuals and businesses, sure. Government, no. I understand there are occasional exceptions due to national security, but those requests come from the highest levels of government and are rare. This is some asshole at the TSA calling up reporters to spread FUD. Completely indefensible.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#55

Post by danso » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:41 PM UTC

Just want to point this out: "strongly caution" is what the TSA flak told the reporter (according to the reporter). That doesn't necessarily mean "don't report this or we'll send you to Gitmo". It most likely was expressed in the context of "you're going to look stupid/spread misinformation if you do."

I'm not saying the TSA flak won't be vindictive if a reporter covers the story. I'm just saying, there's not an immediate reason to jump to this conclusion. You don't get to be TSA flak by writing thinly-veiled threats that are easily retrieved through public records requests.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#56

Post by scott_s » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:44 PM UTC

ChuckMcM wrote: post #11

pavel_lishin wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's incredibly suspicious to allude to an e-mail from the TSA, but not actually include a copy of said e-mail.

So you're saying that screen shot [1] of the redacted email was manufactured, or that the source of the redacted email was maybe trolling Jon? I'm one of those folks that when I see a redacted email like that with most of the identity cookie in it I wonder if one could track down the original. I mean mail.fourtentech.com actually has a web server sitting on it and all. Anyway, it could be a viralish stunt, but sadly…

So you're saying that screen shot [1] of the redacted email was manufactured, or that the source of the redacted email was maybe trolling Jon?

Or an infinite number of other things. Don't get bogged down in what the alternative scenario is. What is important is that if something is true, we should be able to find corroborating evidence to support it. If we can't, then we have reason to doubt the initial claim - and we can do so without arguing for a particular alternate scenario.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#57

Post by danso » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:44 PM UTC

hyperbovine wrote: post #54

jrockway wrote: post #47

They're not really threatening anything, they're just asking "please don't cover this story". That's their right and it's not censorship unless the journalist faces consequences for covering the story (no future interviews, harassment by the legal system, etc.) It doesn't seem like any consequences are mentioned or implied, so this doesn't bother me. Of course the TSA doesn't want negative press. Would you?

The government should not be in the business of telling the press what to cover. Individuals and businesses, sure. Government, no. I understand there are occasional exceptions due to national security, but those requests come from the highest levels of government and are rare. This is some asshole at the TSA calling up reporters to spread FUD. Completely indefensible.

Well I work in the press and the government can say what they want. It's wrong for the press to obey the government's every wish and it is wrong for the press to immediately ignore the government's every opinion. If a NASA PR person tells me that the agency has determined the Earth to be round that doesn't mean that I need to launch an investigation into the possible flatness of the earth.

There's a difference between "telling/informing" and mandating. The latter is bad; the former is...well, part of a government's job is to disseminate information.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#58

Post by mrb » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:45 PM UTC

The government supporting the TSA, despite its People pushing against it, is a prime example of failure of democracy in the United States. The People elected a government who does not what they want!

Some countries hold referendums to vote on controversial topics. It would be a great solution to hold one in the U.S. at the federal level asking a very simple question: "Should the TSA be shut down? Yes/No". Direct democracy at its best. Unfortunately the U.S. constitution does not provide for referendums at the federal level... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendum#United_States

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#59

Post by api » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:47 PM UTC

mrb wrote: post #58

The government supporting the TSA, despite its People pushing against it, is a prime example of failure of democracy in the United States . The People elected a government who does not what they want! Some countries hold referendums to vote on controversial topics. It would be a great solution to hold one in the U.S. at the federal level asking a very simple question: "Should the TSA be shut down? Yes/No". Direct dem…

People need to understand this: it's all about the lobbyists, period. The TSA is nothing but a cash cow for the defense and security industries. Actual security is an irrelevant side effect.

Re: TSA Pressures Mainstream Media Not To Cover Story

#60

Post by tptacek » Thu, Mar 08, 2012, 8:50 PM UTC

They're allowed to say that. The media is allowed (encouraged; morally obliged, perhaps) to ignore them. Whether he's right or wrong (and I'm sure he's right), the bureaucracy would prefer to continue working towards their quarterly MBOs than to address another controversy. This is a non-story.