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I'm really curious about this. People on HN are saying "oh it's just security theater" as if the TSA purchasing officials are knowingly disingenuous. I suspect the testing procedures are badly flawed and the TSA has no clue whether the devices that they buy work. Right now I don't haven enough data to say either way - lying or stupid. Both hypotheses fit the facts.

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Suppose as you hypothesize the TSA really doesn't know whether or not they work and whether or not they pose radiation risks to travelers and TSA employees. But they've told the President and Congress that this is the only way to keep us safe and we absolutely must spend $2.4B.

Would you consider that 'lying' or 'stupid'?

I was proposing two hypotheses. First, TSA knows exactly what is going on and they are lying about it. Second, TSA's testing procedure is flawed so they don't know what is going on, but they may think that they do. So if they are using a flawed test without being aware of the flaws, 'stupid'. If they are using a flawed test and they know it, 'lying'.

Security experts are saying it's security theater. And they're right.

I completely agree. I'm questioning whether TSA knows that or not.

Well they could add up how many terrorists they have caught

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