On the other end, the earpiece allows the Secret Service to receive orders from the special command center, as well as receive information from other agents, according to the White House. And the constant fiddling with the earbuds is simply to help the agents hear better. Pressing the earpiece further into the ear tightens the seal, making it easier for agents to hear the information that is being relayed to them, especially if they are in a crowded and noisy environment.
Additionally, those curly wires are just one of many types of earpieces the Secret Service uses. As Slate reports, there are other designs available, including much more inconspicuous ones that look just like standard iPhone earbuds, and agents can even get different color buds to blend in with their skin or hair.
So although all the face-touching may attract attention to the odd agent every once in a while, the whole set up is not quite as low-tech as it may seem.
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