I got the following from Cleveland in response to one of my Freedom of Information Act requests requesting checkpoint video of me defeating the nude body scanners:
Information contained in the Airport security system, including video surveillance tapes at Hopkins Airport, contains security sensitive information that is controlled under 49 C.F.R. parts 15 and 1520. No part of this record may be disclosed to persons without a need to know, as defined in 49 C.F.R. parts 15 and 1520, except with the written permission of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration or the Secretary of Transportation. Unauthorized release may result in civil penalty or other action. Additionally, the release of this information is not authorized under the Ohio Public Records law, in that this information is considered security material and represents an exclusion that exists under the law.
It amazes me how anyone could possibly consider a video of a public area to be “sensitive security information” — after all, anyone could have legally taken a video of me at the checkpoint, so why is the government’s video any more sensitive than that?
I sent them an appeal letter, which is required before I sue them for the video. I also discussed the issue with them on the phone, and they told me they’d look into it. We’ll see.
Professional Troublemaker ® 
I support your cause. The public area you speak of is not public. It is private property and it is illegal to photograph or video on private property unless given permission. Public property is the sidewalk outside the airport property(or any private property), streets, and parks.
it may be private property, but it is in public.
and hey…. the airport was funded by taxpayers, and the tsa fuckin goons are paid for with taxpayer tax money. and the fuckin airlines were fuckin bailed out year after fuckin year by the taxes again.
so honestly. fuck everything about this asshole agency that spends MORE TAXPAYER MONEY TO DEFEND ITSELF IN COURT FROM TAXPAYERS.
and fuck anyone that says otherwise.
The main entrance is public. Once you need to show a ticket to get access to the security areas, it becomes private. Nobody can just walk into an airport and straight through security without a ticket.
TSA is an arbitrary agency that presumes legal immunity and will hide behind the law when they’re caught in a criminal act. TSA administration says one thing, but the TSO’s say the opposite.
TSA administration has affirmed it is NOT illegal to photograph the TSA in their security area, but the TSO’s are ignorant of the rules and attempt to stop travelers videotaping and threaten to refuse them access to their flight.
anon quoting bogus law – what statute makes it illegal to take a photograph in a place widely accessible to the public? Other that privacy laws (cant film bathrooms, etc) I am curious to know where you are getting your facts.
Publicly owned, at least according to http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCLE which cites FAA records.
It doesn’t really surprise me that they would deny the request. It doesn’t make sense though since there are plenty of checkpoint videos out there, both from airport security cameras and passengers.
If the checkpoint videos had shown you faking this experiment, I’m sure the videos would have been made public immediately.
Keep up the good work and I hope to see more videos exposing the TSA’s incompetence.
CLE airport is owned by the City of Cleveland. FLL airport is owned by Broward County. Both are public property.
But, even if they were privately owned, they can still be a “public place.” The classic example in law of a privately-owned public place is a shopping mall.
…and even if it were private property, it is *still* not illegal to take pictures “without permission.” They may ask you to leave, but taking of pictures is not a crime.
here is idea I think will help a little, it is just a small step in helping to keep the TSA more honest and accountable….
TSA “agents” should have to wear a picture id (never hidden) with their first and last name and employee number on it, this badge should also have a bar code that could be scanned by a smart phone, which with an app. could record all info and time stamp date and location for use in a complaint! if a person does not have a smart phone the “agent” should be required to scan it and give a printed paper copy! they have scanners all over target and macys for customers to do their own price checks, they could just add a printer! ( if they decide to pretend the scanner is not working, get out a paper and pen and do it the old fashion way) all tsa folks should always have to stand behind their actions! and lawsuits should always include suits against the individual agents and not just against the tsa.
Actually, you can. You just need a PDF editor.
Id like to requeat surveillance video from the checked baggage. ounter area where two jackets were inadvertently left and subsequently stolen. We know exactly where they were left. Police at JFK said it’s not important enough for the detective’s time. Possible to get the video and find the culperate myself with the police report?
Possible, but what happens if you get a security video back where you can sorta see the person’s face? How are you going to ID the person? Unless it happens to be an employee who can easily be tracked down, the PAPD still won’t care.