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Most likely nothing: you opted for it.
by lukeqsee 16y ago
Most likely nothing: you opted for it.
- geophile 16y agoI opted for a security check, not sexual assault.
- lukeqsee 16y agoUnfortunately, for the TSA that is a security check. And you opted for a TSA security check; they get to define the rules since they are the federal government agency. Though it would be interesting to see the outcome if you did report it.
- jdp23 16y agoFirst of all while I am not a big fan of TSA, let's be fair to them: they've got policies that strictly prohibit sexually assaulting travelers.
- jdp23 16y agothat's incorrect. you've agreed to be searched in accordance with TSA's procedures. that doesn't mean you've given up your rights. if you are groped or harassed or otherwise sexually assaulted, you can complain to the agent's supervisor or call the cops. like i said above i'm not sure what the best thing to do is but there certainly are options. edit: i'm very curious why this comment was downvoted ...
- lukeqsee 16y agoRight. They could take the "opting" act and claim it was giving up of rights (pertaining to the search)? (I'm curious why it was downvoted too.)
- jdp23 16y agoi don't think anybody would see the choice of an enhanced patdown as giving up rights but then again i am not a lawyer. also what's happening in this kind of situation is that somebody's accusing a law enforcement agent of molesting her in a place where there might be conflicting jurisdictions, so the interpersonal aspects could be tricky.
- lukeqsee 16y agoPrecisely. It would be interesting to see a lawyer's take on it.
- asmithmd1 16y agoTSA agents are not law enforcement officers, they have no power of arrest. They are the same as airline ticket agents; they can deny or grant you boarding but they certainly will not use force to do that -- they call a police officer whenever force is needed.
- jdp23 16y agoaha, at least one person is downvoting as part of a campaign to bury stories about body scanners as off-topic for HN. well there ya go.
- asmithmd1 16y agoThat is why they tell you what they are going to do before they do. If you object they will stop and ask you, "Do you want to fly today?" So every step of the way you have opted in. I will be traveling with my 4 year old and 6 year old daughters and I am genuinely conflicted about which option to choose for my daughters: Unknown dosage of Xray radiation with un-tested effects on growing bodies, or groping by a stranger. The ideal outcome from my perspective of challenging this terrible situation would be to have them start screaming "Bad Touch!" at the top of their lungs when they were groped. But I think it is un-fair to them to train them to do that.
- jambo 16y agoHow Kafkaesque[1]. To fly, you must "choose" either naked x-ray photography or molestation by agents of the government. Don't say flying is a privilege. Where else should I have to sacrifice one right to exercise another? The 1st amendment to the US constitution implies a right to travel, and the 9th clarifies that the enumeration of rights is not exclusive. [1] This is not the only example of the TSA borrowing from Kafka. The TSA employs secret directives, reminiscent of Kafka's Before The Law. The Supreme Court supported this secrecy in reviewing these documents in camera in Gilmore vs. Gonzales.