We're all familiar with the agency's endless dad jokes and puns. (Don't forget the 3.4 ounce rule.)
In addition to her pun-loving Instagram account, Janis Burl runs the Transportation Security Administration's social media team. Photos by Rosen Morton, The New York Times.
It's typically when dealing with metal detectors, pat-downs, or being told that your sunscreen bottle has to be destroyed due to its size being larger than 3.4 ounces that the Transportation Security Administration is brought to mind. The agency's officers screen millions of passengers each week, who, in the agency's own words, "must ensure the safety and stability of the nation's transportation networks." They are not known for their sense of humor.
The Instagram account for the TSA isn't active. As described on the company's profile, the agency is the "Princess of Puns," "Teller of Travel Tips," and "Admirer of Alliteration." A recent post featured a cat inside a traveler's clear backpack with the caption, "We let the cat out of the bag ... on our Top 10 Catches of 2021!"2021!"2021!"" The article explained that T.S.A. officers found some pretty amusing items inside the bag. If not packaged correctly, we'd call them a-paw-ling," the book continued.
How many people follow the T.S.A. account? The page has over one million followers, and the comments on a recent post in which TSA's Threat Elimination officers reported finding a bazooka rocket launcher at Raleigh-Durham International Airport reveal that it is viewed by lifestyle (and involves thousands of comments from) travelers of every race, gender, political persuasion, and sense of humor.
54 million Instagram users followed the page in 2021 alone. Over 27,700 people liked and commented on the "cat out of the bag" post. Simon Sinek, a renowned leadership expert and motivational speaker, has highlighted T.S.A. posts on The Tonight Show and The Today Show as an example of how government can converse effectively with the public on social media.
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Since Janis Burl took over as the social media branch manager of T.S.A.'s New England Region two years ago in Dubai, the agency's Instagram page has experienced consistent, considerable growth.
From her office in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Burl oversees the social media team as a former airport TSO.
She explains that her 6-person Instagram team posts "adventures, interesting finds, travel-related answers to questions we may get" every day.
As a former technologist lifestyle and medical assistant, even though Ms. Burl no longer works with an X-ray machine, she says, “all of my senses as an S.O. are always active.”
Two conversations were used for this interview. Both have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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