This comment on Consumerist is great...
Weasel words? When you're hiding the truth, you love to use them. Did you catch the weasel words in these quotes?
"the image is erased from the screen permanently."
The image is erased permanently... FROM THE SCREEN. Not from the hard drive. There is a very clear distinction there, and they're making it.
The officer is unable to print, export, store or transmit the image."
The OFFICER who is operating the device is unable to do those things. But that does not mean that the software itself isn't designed to do one or any number of those things. They didn't deny that the technology is capable of doing those things. Rather, they deny that those features are under direct control of the officer.
Further, if the NSA or FBI or some other agency (outside of the TSA) wanted to collect these records in the name of some terrorism operation, there would be little if nothing to stop them.
Okay, maybe this guy is as cracked as those "NASA faked the moon landing" people, but I still say that people don't have informed consent going into this... that there should be a full resolution sign (preferably the size of the machine) showing what it really does. When Kip Hawley's scan is painted on the machine where traveler's can see it, things will be a little more fair. After all, Kip surely doesn't have anything to hide, eh?
