Another TSA Body Scanner Scandal?

A nationally recognized reporter, writer, and consumer advocate, Ed Perkins focuses on how travelers can find the best deals and avoid scams.

He is the author of "Online Travel" (2000) and "Business Travel: When It's Your Money" (2004), the first step-by-step guide specifically written for small business and self-employed professional travelers. He was also the co-author of the annual "Best Travel Deals" series from Consumers Union.

Perkins' advice for business travelers is featured on MyBusinessTravel.com, a website devoted to helping small business and self-employed professional travelers find the best value for their travel dollars.

Perkins was founding editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, one of the country's most influential travel publications, from which he retired in 1998. He has also written for Business Traveller magazine (London).

Perkins' travel expertise has led to frequent television appearances, including ABC's "Good Morning America" and "This Week with David Brinkley," "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN, and numerous local TV and radio stations.

Before editing Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Perkins spent 25 years in travel research and consulting with assignments ranging from national tourism development strategies to the design of computer-based tourism models.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Perkins lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife.

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According to a story from Bloomberg, test results that confirmed that the TSA’s body-scanning machines are no longer producing graphic images of passengers’ bodies may have been faked. So the machines may, in fact, be showing very detailed images of passengers.

According to the report, “The company [that produces some of the machines] ‘may have attempted to defraud the government by knowingly manipulating an operational test,’ Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Transportation Security Subcommittee, said in a letter to Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole Nov. 13. Rogers said his committee received a tip about the faked tests.”

This story seems to have picked up some legs in the media. But—at least so far—there is no evidence that anyone’s overly detailed image has been taken, much less stored somewhere. It’s not even clear who, if anybody, might have faked the tests. The TSA is “looking into” the matter; you can expect new information later.

All in all, for travelers, this seems to be a non-issue, at least so far. It’s highly unlikely that anyone’s body details have been revealed. And, unfortunately, there are a lot more pressing issues in air travel right now.

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