TSA screening facial behaviors

January 4th 2008

Transportation Security Administration screeners are learning how to read certain facial expressions associated with possible terrorist intent. Ridiculous as it may sound, if your face slips into one of these categories, you could be taken aside for additional screening.

Some travelers at about a dozen airports across America are being scrutinized by some TSA behavior-detection officers trained to recognize subtle questionable behaviors. TSA officials will not disclose specific behaviors identified by the program, which is called SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Technique).

The ultimate goal is to discern minute facial expressions projecting emotions such as contempt, fear, anger or surprise that sometimes only appear on an individualâs face for seconds.