Jonathan Corbett is on a mission against the Transportation Security Administration. The blogger and activist has been staunchly opposing efforts to implement advanced imaging technology ever since it was introduced to the nation’s airports in 2007, going so far as to file lawsuit over his beliefs. At issue is the agency’s use of the technology, which many claim is no more effective than a magnetometer but that can potentially see sensitive anatomy.
Mr. Corbett keeps a well detailed blog of his fight over at tsaoutofourpants.wordpress.com, and to illustrate his position he claims to have discovered a manner in which to defeat the 3D scanners. By keeping metal objects at one’s sides, Corbett suggests, scanners blend metallic areas into the dark contrasting background, making it difficult for readers to see any hidden objects in profile. To test the theory he takes a small metal case through a scanner in a special side pocket of his own design.
Whether the method or his theories hold any water is still up for debate. While the video shows Mr. Corbett harmlessly passing through security, it doesn’t verify that the process can’t see from other perspectives or that a chance TSA agent may have been not paying attention. If there is a problem with the system, however, we’re glad that someone pointed it out.