Sen. Schumer: Distribute Airport Body Scans, Go to Jail

Sen. Charles Schumer introduced a bill yesterday that would make it illegal for anyone to record or distribute airport body scan images. Those found guilty would face penalties of up to a year in prison, fines of up to $100,000, or both, reports the AP. The TSA has said the images can’t be stored, printed, or transmitted and are deleted after being viewed, but critics have called the current privacy safeguards "insufficient." While federal law prevents government employees from releasing private information to anyone not authorized to receive it, no current law covers TSA scanner images.

Sen. Schumer is not opposed to the use of scanners, saying “you need to balance security and privacy.” Even so, he added, "Anyone who would try to use these images for purposes other than security should be severely punished." Read the full article. (More airport scanners stories.)