The TSA might be asking you more questions when you go through security starting in August, and that’s a good thing.

Politico reports that rather than simply throwing more taxpayer cash at companies selling expensive and, to some, invasive imaging technology, the TSA is looking at methods that have been used in Israel for years with great success. Much of this simply involves talking to passengers more and watching their eyes as they respond to basic questions.

The Israeli method also uses a large degree of racial profiling. If you look like an Arab, you get greater scrutiny. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, TSA chief John Pistole did not comment on racial aspects, but did say the new methods should result in fewer incidents like the ones documented in viral online videos of children screaming as they were subjected to hands-on patdowns and asked to remove their shirt in the middle of busy airports.

“I think we can do a different way of screening children that recognizes that the very high likelihood they do not have a bomb on them,” Pistole said. “I think under our new protocols we would see very few patdowns of children.” Instead the TSA would work closer with the parents to find out why the kids might be setting off alarms.

TSA readying new behavior detection plan for airport checkpoints [Politico] (Thanks to Michael!)

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