Federal court OKs controversial full-body scans, orders public review
A federal appeals court ruled Friday the Transportation Security Administration can still use full-body scanners at airports, but said the agency erred in how it deployed the controversial machines.
A privacy group, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, had sued the TSA claiming the machines violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches. The group further argued that the TSA did not follow the required procedures before making significant policy changes, such as subjecting travelers to the full-body scanners.
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington rejected the first argument, concluding that there was no violation on constitutional grounds. But they agreed on the second point, saying TSA must now go through proper procedures — though the court, significantly, did not order the agency to stop using the machines immediately.