TSA to remove controversial X-ray scanners

Full body scanners
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent Leigh Bauman demonstrates a full body scanner at Midway Airport December 15, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration confirms that it is getting rid of airport body scanners that produce a naked image of travelers.

Right now the TSA uses two types of scanners. One makes a generic image showing where agents should look for an object on the traveler's body. Those scanners are staying.

The other kind of scanner uses X-rays. They raised privacy concerns because they show metal objects on the traveler's body - along with every other detail, too. Congress has mandated that those scanners be changed or removed by June.

TSA says the X-ray scanners will be gone by June. It says the company that makes them, Rapiscan, was not able to come up with a software fix to make the scanners comply with the Congressional mandate.

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