this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2025

445 points (99.1% liked)

Political Memes

9061 readers

2835 users here now

Welcome to politcal memes!

These are our rules:

Be civil

Jokes are okay, but don’t intentionally harass or disturb any member of our community. Sexism, racism and bigotry are not allowed. Good faith argumentation only. No posts discouraging people to vote or shaming people for voting.

No misinformation

Don’t post any intentional misinformation. When asked by mods, provide sources for any claims you make.

Posts should be memes

Random pictures do not qualify as memes. Relevance to politics is required.

No bots, spam or self-promotion

Follow instance rules, ask for your bot to be allowed on this community.

No AI generated content.

Content posted must not be created by AI with the intent to mimic the style of existing images

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

Rooki@lemmy.world

automodbeta@lemmy.world

Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world

Tenthrow@lemmy.world

JonsJava@lemmy.world

Lasherz12@lemmy.world

FauxPseudo@lemmy.world

445

When the government forces you to act like a clown for no apparent reason (infosec.pub)

submitted 1 week ago by FenrirIII@lemmy.world to c/politicalmemes@lemmy.world

37 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/33509083

top 37 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] cynar@lemmy.world 42 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

The inconsistency is the worst but, at least outside America, most customs teams are polite and informative about what is required.

When I travelled to the US, they were constantly annoyed that you didn't have their exact workflow memorized. That still happened when 2 machines, side by side, had different rules!

Oh, and FYI, some places, like Amsterdam, have it FAR more efficient. No emptying bags, no 100ml limits. Bag and jackets go through the x-ray scanner, you go through the nudity scanner. You're done in less than 30 seconds.

[–] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 2 points 6 days ago

And then there is Copenhagen, where they are extra picky.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 25 points 6 days ago (1 children)

TSA has never made travel safer.

It's always been a jobs program.

[–] Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net 19 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Security theater to assuage the public's (scared, rich, white people) fears after hyping up the threat of foreign terrorism.

Essentially, the establishment made a booboo and hurt the airline industry's bottom line in their efforts to destabilize the Middle East. So, they devised a sideshow circus to get people flying again.

It isn't even about jobs. They never gave a shit about jobs. It's always about the money.

[+] timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works -7 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Yes because clearly people don't travel to countries with darker skinned people or simply because despite them not affording it their business sent them on a trip.

You know, you don't have to work in the rich white people schtick into every conversation.

[–] Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net 8 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

No, I don't have to but, considering the topic, it was relevant to the situation.

TSA exists the way it does in the USA specifically to assuage the fears of rich white people who travel for pleasure and getting them to fly again after the events of 9/11 which had a significant impact on the airline industry, seeing a significant decline in passengers, thus a decline in industry revenue.

You also don't have to keep your head in the sand about the way the world works with every conversation you find yourself in.

Now, piss off.

[–] timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works -4 points 6 days ago

Eh, maybe go fuck yourself too.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

my dude did you not speak to any person of Arab descent between 2001 and 2021? You couldn't even be Sikh without getting accused of being an Islamic terrorist

[–] timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works 0 points 6 days ago

The point being- were there no rich black men taking flights? Rich women? or did they somehow not have to fear terrorist attacks on planes?

There was no point in inserting that and it's not only not true but also prejudiced assuming of course there could only be rich white men taking flights. Certainly couldn't be minorities taking flights right?

It was stupid to insert, out of place, and deserved to be called out.

Has nothing to do with the profiling done on Arab/Sikh/etc. people done by TSA.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 17 points 6 days ago

Security theatre.

[–] uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

TSA was security theater from the beginning. All those confiscated liquids, all thos stolen Apple electronics, all those confiscated tchotchkes, all those nude scans [shared between agens in the crew forums] for a safer vibe

Though it did condition me away from air travel, and eventually from long-distance travel entirely.

[+] Atomic@sh.itjust.works -17 points 6 days ago (2 children)

What a dumb post. Or is this coming from the generation that never heard of "Richard shoe bomber" who is the reason some have to scan their shoes.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I don't see how it wouldn't come up being scanned with the person the same if it come up going through the scanner. If my balls are to warm they set off the machine. Metal components in my shoes should detect as well, which you'd then have to take them off and have them scanned. It's probably much easier to work the electronics into a handheld game console, laptop, camera or other electronic devices and let it go through the machine and have them not be able to recognize it

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm sorry but I cannot understand what you're trying to say. The xray they use to scan your bags are not the same as the one you go through.

In case you were unaware. "Richard shoe bomber" did not have metal or electronics in his shoe. He had simply put explosives in the sole of the shoe with a fuse attached.

He was caught and restrained when he tried to light the fuse on the airplane.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So what your saying is scanning the shoes would have made no difference?

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm saying the exact opposite.

The scanner you put your bags, electronics, jackets, and shoes on. Are different than the scanner you walk through.

That's why they ask you to put your shoes there.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

They are... But not really. The machine will flag you if you are going through with your shoes on and something is off about them. The only thing that's different is it is easier to swab them if they think something may be off about them.

Which if you went through the body scanner and they thought something was off, they are going to ask you to step aside and remove them to be swabbed.

(Hence why anyone who applies for TSA pre check, could already keep their shoes on)

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

The thing you walk through detects metal.

The thing your personal items go through is an x-ray machine.

The little metal detector wands are to find a more precise hit on what is setting the first metal detector off, in case you are trying to hide something on your person.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Both are x-ray machines

Edit. Sorry not always x-rays. Millimeter waves that can even see tumors... It isn't just metal

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 0 points 6 days ago (1 children)

My guy. The type of xray they scan your bags with are not what they scan you with.

The reason they swab shoes is not to detect explosives. It's to detect drugs. If you take hard drugs, or swallow bags, they can often see traces of it in your sweat. And shoes are a fantastic source of sweat.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

This is contrary to every article you can find online. They swab shoes, hands, laptops, etc. It's for glycerin and other substances found from explosives. They couldn't give a shit if you were on drugs. You can't get a DUI for being drunk/high and going through a TSA check point obviously. And they aren't arresting people for being on anything at the airport unless they are harassing someone else.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

They 100% swab your feet and inside of the shoe for drugs.

Hands and close personal items, such as wallets and electronics are for multiple reasons. Including explosives.

The machine they put the swabs in can detect multiple substances, explosive compounds, precursors, drugs.

They don't care if you got traces of drugs in your system. But they do care about you trying to smuggle it. That's why they test for Traces, externally and internally.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Do you have a source for these claims? Because if you think businessmen never do coke and fly on planes within 24 hours that's crazy. They aren't getting pulled aside and tested and put on lists to see if they are trafficking cocaine.

(Not to mention Adderall would likely trigger the same tests as meth, so that rules out meth trafficking as well. Because we are swabbing shoes remember)

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

According to Australian Border control. They specifically swab feet and shoes, to test for traces of drugs on people they think look suspicious. Or people flying in from high risk areas.

And the times where I've flown to the US from Amsterdam, Munich, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen. I was always put in a room where they swabbed my stuff, hands, feet, phone, laptop (at the gate). And I asked them why and what they're looking for. They gave me the answer that they are mostly looking for drugs.

As drug smuggling is something they deal with every. Single. Day. where as people trying to board with explosives is extreamly rare.

I did not say they care if you have drugs in your system. I specifically said the opposite.

They just want to make sure you're not carrying drugs on you. Those who have drugs in their system, are far more likely to smuggle drugs than those who don't.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Ah, I guess they'll need to stop flights coming in from the U.S. then, because DHS removed the shoe requirement from the TSA check points this month, which is what I presume was the inspiration for this post.

(Or check them when they get there rather)

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Regardless, someone did try to blow up a plane with explosives hidden in their shoe. It's a very well documented incident.

After that incident. Security was stepped up globally, we had to start putting shoes to be xrayed, and we never saw a single case of anyone trying to smuggle explosives on board in their shoe ever again.

If it's removed completely, it's because they have other methods that make it obsolete.

Aviation rarely make the same mistake twice (Boeing goes hold my beer).

When I was a kid, I got to step inside the cockpit and say hello to the pilots and look at all the instruments, mid flight. After my grandmother asked if that was ok. Fat chance of that ever happening again after 9-11

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Yeah the method was the newer scanners they are using. Most of them are like this:

https://mdtsecurity.cc/solutions-products/l3-security-detection-systems/provision2/

It does a 360 degree scan of you like a CT machine (but using mm waves, instead of X-rays and such)

Automatic Target Detection (ATD)

Quickly screens passengers for a broad variety of aviation targets both metallic and non-metallic: weapons, standard and home-made explosives (sheet and bulk), liquids, gels, plastics, powders, metals, ceramics, and other objects

And unless I keep my legs spread while waiting in line, it nearly always triggers my groin because to much warmth. So they do a nice personal check with their hands just in case feeling the creases (Has happened to me 3 times out of 5) I run hotter than most people though

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yeah I've seen those. I think.... I know I've seen what looks like that. But if the technology inside is updated I can't say I know. Never had a problem with my balls being too warm in them. And I can't recall ever having my shoes on inside. Always had to put them aside. But that could easily just be airport policy at the time.

Anyhow... what irked me was the post acting like scanning shoes was some fake phony security scam. Almost every single airline and airport policy is there for a reason.

E.g. after the Lockerby tragedy. Airlines had to make sure that every single bag has a passenger that is on board the plane. As someone had checked in a bag with explosives, and then never boarded himself.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

That's what changed here, is you can wear the shoes into these machines now basically. Because they know the machines are already scanning for w.e, and it is coming up on their screens that they are reviewing, so the only question for them was does an organic foot in the shoe cause any interference, which I presume it did not.

That and if you applied for TSA pre check.. you could skip taking your shoes off. And that started in 2013. So if you could pass a basic background check before you got to the airport, they allowed you to bypass it. Which made people wonder .. well why is anyone doing it

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

I don't know exactly how TSA works, I have not flown that much within the US. But I agree that's pretty bullshit.

[–] forrgott@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So, this happened one time. Is that it?

Literally one example and I'm supposed to live in fear of a copycat for the rest of eternity?

Fuck no.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works -1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I've never been afraid of a copycat. Not once.

I will let you take a second. And think about why it only happened once.

[–] forrgott@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 6 days ago

And you must think you're smart and clever. 🙄

[–] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I haven't traveled in 12 years, and I'm dreading my trip coming up in two weeks.

[–] simplejack@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Are you bummed that you’re no longer going to see all those feet?

[–] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

No. Just hated dealing with the TSA idiots then, and I know I'm gonna hate it now.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 1 points 6 days ago

Suggestion: don't glare at them, be courteous and smile. They hate their jobs too.