Airport Body Scans Reveal All

[manifold]

New airport security scanners could become a popular alternative to body searches, but have also prompted some privacy concerns.

Whole-body imaging technologies can see through clothing to reveal metallic and non-metallic objects, including weapons or plastic explosives. They also reveal a person's silhouette and the outlines of underwear.

That hasn't stopped security officials from implementing them. The U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA) started using whole-body imaging at six airports this year, and plans are in the works to expand it to airports in several more U.S. cities later this year.

The TSA has tested two technologies, including "millimeter wave" (MMW) technology which bounces radio-frequency waves off people to construct a 3-D image within a few seconds. TSA also temporarily leased four "backscatter" units which use X-ray scanning, although the MMW method is currently faster.

Early this year, TSA began implementing MMW as a primary screening technology next to metal detectors at airports in San Francisco, Miami, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Airports in 20 U.S. cities, such as JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles, have used or plan to use MMW tech this year. Other countries have also begun using or evaluating MMW for airport screening, including the UK, Netherlands, Japan and Thailand.

The MMW and backscatter scans intentionally blur facial features, and the security officer viewing images sits in a remote location where he or she cannot identify the passengers, said Lara Uselding, a TSA spokesperson. She added that the systems also delete scanned images after the viewings, and have "zero storage capability."

That has not stopped privacy advocates from asking how much passengers may unwittingly reveal in whole-body imaging.

"Body scanners produce graphic images of travelers' bodies and are an assault on their essential dignity," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Project. "The safeguards announced by the TSA do not convince us that the technology is acceptable, and we question the supposed voluntary nature of these scanners."

TSA pointed out that passengers can currently choose between the MMW screening and the more traditional body search conducted by a security officer with a wand. The new screening tech actually proved popular in testing conducted in January 2009.

"More than 99 percent of passengers selected for Millimeter Wave screening opted to use the technology instead of the traditional pat-down procedure at Los Angeles International Airport," Uselding said. "We saw the same percentage for use at JFK with MMW."

Airport Body Scans Reveal All | LiveScience

 

[DiveCon]

New airport security scanners could become a popular alternative to body searches, but have also prompted some privacy concerns.

Whole-body imaging technologies can see through clothing to reveal metallic and non-metallic objects, including weapons or plastic explosives. They also reveal a person's silhouette and the outlines of underwear.

That hasn't stopped security officials from implementing them. The U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA) started using whole-body imaging at six airports this year, and plans are in the works to expand it to airports in several more U.S. cities later this year.

The TSA has tested two technologies, including "millimeter wave" (MMW) technology which bounces radio-frequency waves off people to construct a 3-D image within a few seconds. TSA also temporarily leased four "backscatter" units which use X-ray scanning, although the MMW method is currently faster.

Early this year, TSA began implementing MMW as a primary screening technology next to metal detectors at airports in San Francisco, Miami, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Airports in 20 U.S. cities, such as JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles, have used or plan to use MMW tech this year. Other countries have also begun using or evaluating MMW for airport screening, including the UK, Netherlands, Japan and Thailand.

The MMW and backscatter scans intentionally blur facial features, and the security officer viewing images sits in a remote location where he or she cannot identify the passengers, said Lara Uselding, a TSA spokesperson. She added that the systems also delete scanned images after the viewings, and have "zero storage capability."

That has not stopped privacy advocates from asking how much passengers may unwittingly reveal in whole-body imaging.

"Body scanners produce graphic images of travelers' bodies and are an assault on their essential dignity," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Project. "The safeguards announced by the TSA do not convince us that the technology is acceptable, and we question the supposed voluntary nature of these scanners."

TSA pointed out that passengers can currently choose between the MMW screening and the more traditional body search conducted by a security officer with a wand. The new screening tech actually proved popular in testing conducted in January 2009.

"More than 99 percent of passengers selected for Millimeter Wave screening opted to use the technology instead of the traditional pat-down procedure at Los Angeles International Airport," Uselding said. "We saw the same percentage for use at JFK with MMW."

Airport Body Scans Reveal All | LiveScience

damn, that sure does get personal

doesnt leave much to imagine, does it

 

[RetiredGySgt]

New airport security scanners could become a popular alternative to body searches, but have also prompted some privacy concerns.

Whole-body imaging technologies can see through clothing to reveal metallic and non-metallic objects, including weapons or plastic explosives. They also reveal a person's silhouette and the outlines of underwear.

That hasn't stopped security officials from implementing them. The U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA) started using whole-body imaging at six airports this year, and plans are in the works to expand it to airports in several more U.S. cities later this year.

The TSA has tested two technologies, including "millimeter wave" (MMW) technology which bounces radio-frequency waves off people to construct a 3-D image within a few seconds. TSA also temporarily leased four "backscatter" units which use X-ray scanning, although the MMW method is currently faster.

Early this year, TSA began implementing MMW as a primary screening technology next to metal detectors at airports in San Francisco, Miami, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Airports in 20 U.S. cities, such as JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles, have used or plan to use MMW tech this year. Other countries have also begun using or evaluating MMW for airport screening, including the UK, Netherlands, Japan and Thailand.

The MMW and backscatter scans intentionally blur facial features, and the security officer viewing images sits in a remote location where he or she cannot identify the passengers, said Lara Uselding, a TSA spokesperson. She added that the systems also delete scanned images after the viewings, and have "zero storage capability."

That has not stopped privacy advocates from asking how much passengers may unwittingly reveal in whole-body imaging.

"Body scanners produce graphic images of travelers' bodies and are an assault on their essential dignity," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Project. "The safeguards announced by the TSA do not convince us that the technology is acceptable, and we question the supposed voluntary nature of these scanners."

TSA pointed out that passengers can currently choose between the MMW screening and the more traditional body search conducted by a security officer with a wand. The new screening tech actually proved popular in testing conducted in January 2009.

"More than 99 percent of passengers selected for Millimeter Wave screening opted to use the technology instead of the traditional pat-down procedure at Los Angeles International Airport," Uselding said. "We saw the same percentage for use at JFK with MMW."

Airport Body Scans Reveal All | LiveScience

damn, that sure does get personal

doesnt leave much to imagine, does it

Doesn't leave much to hide does it? Which is the damn point. I would rather have this then exploding planes.

 

[Ravi]

I wonder if we'll still have to take off our shoes?

 

[DiveCon]

I wonder if we'll still have to take off our shoes?

doesnt look like it covers the shoe area

 

[DiveCon]

Airport Body Scans Reveal All | LiveScience

damn, that sure does get personal

doesnt leave much to imagine, does it

Doesn't leave much to hide does it? Which is the damn point. I would rather have this then exploding planes.

i dont disagree with that, but some people might not like that
to me, i aint got nothing to be embarrassed about

 

[Ravi]

Well, that sucks. I'm so sick of all the stuff they put you through to fly that I avoid it at all costs. Waste of money, IMO.

 

[DiveCon]

Well, that sucks. I'm so sick of all the stuff they put you through to fly that I avoid it at all costs. Waste of money, IMO.

i guess it depends on how far you have to go and how much time you can take doing so

to me, if it makes sure the plane is safer, i dont worry about
if some perv gets their jollies, not much i can do about that

 

[Toome]

Damned if they do and damned if they don't. The whole issue is that enough passengers complained about being touched during airport screening. So TSA came up with an alternative technology that reduces the need to touch passengers' bodies but allows them to still make sure they're not smuggling any weapons or explosives. Result? People bitching about ONE screener SEEING too much! (Unlike the regular x-ray machine, the body scan operator is in an isolated room out of public view and never gets to actually see the person who steps into the scanner; so the whole process is completely anonymous for both scanner and the person being scanned.)

 

[xsited1]

This equipment would allow police officers to avoid embarrassing situations like this:

Cop mistakes penis for Gun

 

[DiveCon]

This equipment would allow police officers to avoid embarrassing situations like this:

Cop mistakes penis for Gun

 

[Yurt]

This equipment would allow police officers to avoid embarrassing situations like this:

Cop mistakes penis for Gun

maybe if his pants were down so low....but howthe hell do you confuse that with a gun....unless his "gun" was cocked

 

[Ravi]

Damned if they do and damned if they don't. The whole issue is that enough passengers complained about being touched during airport screening. So TSA came up with an alternative technology that reduces the need to touch passengers' bodies but allows them to still make sure they're not smuggling any weapons or explosives. Result? People bitching about ONE screener SEEING too much! (Unlike the regular x-ray machine, the body scan operator is in an isolated room out of public view and never gets to actually see the person who steps into the scanner; so the whole process is completely anonymous for both scanner and the person being scanned.)

I don't think that is true.

 

[Peejay]

Damn we're a bunch of scared pussies. Guess the anal probe is next. Got any explosives in there ? Of course, it's your dignity, your privacy, your price, you name it. Not unlike the girls on the corner.


"Those who would sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Franklin

 

[Sherry]

Tuck in your tampon strings, ladies.

 

[DiveCon]

Tuck in your tampon strings, ladies.

ROFLMAO

thats funny

but the scans arent quite THAT detailed

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Damn we're a bunch of scared pussies. Guess the anal probe is next. Got any explosives in there ? Of course, it's your dignity, your privacy, your price, you name it. Not unlike the girls on the corner.


"Those who would sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Franklin

Retard. You base this on the fact no one is out to blow up or hijack our aircraft, do you?

 

[DiveCon]

Damn we're a bunch of scared pussies. Guess the anal probe is next. Got any explosives in there ? Of course, it's your dignity, your privacy, your price, you name it. Not unlike the girls on the corner.


"Those who would sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Franklin

Retard. You base this on the fact no one is out to blow up or hijack our aircraft, do you?

the retard forgets that prior to these scanners it was possible to have a strip search done

 

[CrimsonWhite]

Doesn't leave much to hide does it? Which is the damn point. I would rather have this then exploding planes.

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.

Ben Franklin

 

[Amanda]

Who cares? Oh noes someone might see that you don't take care of your body.... um, guess what... everyone already knows.