[1] It involves an "Ethics officer" probing the thoughts, attitudes and behavior of an individual member by asking them large numbers of questions.
[1] The bulk of the questions deal with criminal or sexual activity or intentions, or other things that the interviewee might be ashamed of, and probe negative thoughts that the person might have about Scientology or Hubbard.
[1][2] Hubbard described security checking as a remedy for "the compulsion or obsession to commit actions" the person feels must be kept secret.
[6] Susan Raine observes that the questions asked in security checks show that L. Ron Hubbard was intensely preoccupied with scrutiny, surveillance and betrayal.
[8]: 147 In response to public outrage towards Scientology and increasing government investigations into its practices, head of Public Relations Bureau of the Guardian's Office David Gaiman issued in 1968 a "Code of Reform" announcing the cancellation of the practices of disconnection, declaring people fair game, security checking as a form of confession, and a prohibition of writing down confessional materials.
The PR move was to assure the press and governments that a severe puritanical and punitive approach was no longer necessary and so Scientology was taking a new liberal attitude.