FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 2, 2009 Contact: Lillie Coney EPIC Associate Director (202) 483–1140 x 111 COALITION URGES SUSPENSION OF WHOLE BODY IMAGING IN U.S. AIRPORTS Groups say that the privacy issues raised by the "digital strip search" need to be resolved before the TSA makes further use of this invasive technology. Washington, DC – The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), joined by thirty organizations, today urged Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to suspend use of Whole Body Imaging systems. EPIC stressed that privacy problems raised by this technology have not been adequately addressed. The letter is being released as the annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference opens in Washington, DC. The CFP conference has often been the launch pad for cutting-edge Internet campaigns. Whole Body Imaging systems, such as backscatter x-ray and millimeter wave, capture detailed images of air travelers stripped naked. The TSA, a part of the Homeland Security agency, claims that these systems are necessary for airport security and that they will not save the images of American air passengers. However, the TSA also said that these scanners would be used only for passengers who had raised suspicions. Now the agency announced that these new scanners would replace metal detectors as the primary screening device for all passengers. Following the TSA announcement, EPIC launched a national campaign urging that the program be blocked until the privacy risks are fully evaluated. EPIC also established the web site "stopdigitalstripsearches.org" and created the Facebook group "Stop Airport Strip Searches," which now has several hundred members. EPIC also said that the vendors, L-3 and Rapiscan, should appear in Congress and explain to the public how these systems really work. "The TSA's reversal on the use of these devices makes clear the privacy risk with this program," said Marc Rotenberg, EPIC Executive Director. "There must be a thorough investigation and clear legal rules established." Mr. Rotenberg continued, "The privacy of American air travelers should not be left to the whim of federal officials with x-ray cameras." Unlike many federal programs, the TSA has gone forward with the Whole Body Imaging program without any public comment. In their letter to Sec. Napolitano, the organizations called for a 90-day process to allow the public to comment on the agency's proposal. "The TSA must be more open regarding whole body imaging. Our letter requests a public rulemaking process to determine whether the privacy protection measures are effective." The groups said that the TSA should suspend the use of these scanners as primary screening and inform travelers of their rights to other screening techniques, such as a physical pat down or search of carry-on bags. Additionally, the groups said that the TSA needs to evaluate the medical and health implications of exposure to this technology. The organizations signing the letter included Consumer Federation of America, ACLU, the Constitution Project, Consumer Action, Liberty Coalition, The Rutherford Institute, and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. ### More information is available at: Letter Urging Suspension of Whole Body Imaging http://privacycoalition.org/stopwholebodyimaging/ Background on Whole Body Imaging http://epic.org/privacy/airtravel/backscatter/ Stop Digital Strip Searches web site http://www.stopdigitalstripsearches.org/ Stop Airport Searches Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=179598280013 Computers Freedom and Privacy 2009 http://www.cfp2009.org/ Graphics http://epic.org/graphics/stop_vss_hi_res.html