Saturday, September 1, 2012

Feds anything but transparent on 'nude scanners'

Via Cousin John

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More than three years after installation of the infamous nude-image body scanners at U.S. airports, the federal government still has not instituted the required period of public comment, but Obama administration attorneys contend there’s been no unreasonable delay.

The argument comes from U.S. Justice Department attorneys Mark Stern and John Koppel in a brief opposing a request to start the rule-making process immediately.

Privacy and health advocates have raised numerous concerns about the full-body scanners, which the Transportation Safety Administration began to widely implement in 2010.

In a case brought by the Electronic Privacy Information Center and dozens of other groups, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington ruled that while the screening would be allowed to go ahead, the Department of Homeland Security “failed to conduct notice-and-comment rulemaking” as required.

At the time, the court said, “Few if any regulatory procedures impose directly and significantly on so many members of the public.” The court ordered the government to “act promptly” on the routine process.

According to EPIC, a year has passed since that order for “prompt” action – and some two and a half years since the machines were first installed in the U.S. The group went to court asking for a mandate for immediate action.

More @ WND

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