TSA loudspeakers threaten travelers with arrest for joking about security
Problem: queues are boring. Consequently, people in queues talk to one another and make jokes about the queues. If it's a security queue, some bored people joke about security.<p>Unfortunately, TSA checkers have no discretion: they're supposed to behave like robots[1]. They're not allowed to write off a wisecrack as a joke, but are required to take it at face value. (Even though no sane terrorist would joke about smuggling a bomb through a TSA checkpoint while in the queue at said checkpoint.)<p>TSA response: warn people that they can be arrested for joking.<p>Possible solution #1: figure out why people are making jokes (boredom, long queues) and do something to fix it, reducing the incidence of false positives. (Hire more bodies, shorten the queues.)<p>Possible solution #2: recruit higher quality security guards and train them to use their initiative, then give them some discretion. (The El Al/Israeli response.)<p>Possible solution #3: reform US foreign policy to reduce the inflammation that causes terrorist activity against US targets; focus on intelligence-driven police tactics to prevent terrorist attacks before they get anywhere near an airport or other target: abolish the TSA. (The utopian solution. This won't happen because, politics.)<p>[1] A large subset of the American population believe that government can do no good. Therefore government agencies <i>are not allowed</i> to operate as if they're staffed by competent, intelligent human beings with discretion. This is why we can't have nice things.