[laloki]

I think this is a bit too much.


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-12377,00.html

Security scans will show sex organs

From correspondents in New York | June 11, 2008

SECURITY scanners that can see through passengers' clothing and reveal details such as their sex organs, colostomy bags and breast size, are being installed in 10 US airports.

A random selection of travellers getting ready to board airplanes in Washington, New York's Kennedy, Los Angeles and other key hubs will be shut in the glass booths while a three-dimensional image is made of their body beneath their clothes.

The booths close around the passenger and emit "millimetre waves" that go through cloth to identify metal, plastics, ceramics, chemical materials and explosives, according to the Transport Safety Authority.

While it allows the security screeners - looking at the images in a separate room - to clearly see the passenger's sexual organs as well as other details of their bodies, the passenger's face is blurred, TSA said.

The scan only takes seconds and is to replace the physical pat-downs of people that is currently widespread in airports.

TSA began introducing the body scanners in airports in April, first in the Phoenix, Arizona terminal.

The installation is picking up this month, with machines in place or planned for airports in Washington (Reagan National and Baltimore-Washington International), Dallas, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Miami and Detroit.

The new machines have provoked worries among passengers and rights activists.

"People have no idea how graphic the images are," Barry Steinhardt, director of the technology and liberty program at the American Civil Liberties Union, said.

The ACLU said passengers expecting privacy underneath their clothing "should not be required to display highly personal details of their bodies such as evidence of mastectomies, colostomy appliances, penile implants, catheter tubes and the size of their breasts or genitals as a pre-requisite to boarding a plane".

Besides masking their faces, the TSA says on its website, the images made "will not be printed stored or transmitted".

"Once the transportation security officer has viewed the image and resolved anomalies, the image is erased from the screen permanently. The officer is unable to print, export, store or transmit the image."

Lara Uselding, a TSA spokeswoman, said passengers were not obliged to accept the new machines.

"The passengers can choose between the body imaging and the pat-down," she said.

TSA foresees 30 of the machines installed across

[digby723]

It's a little excessive, but, in all honesty, it'll make things go faster and will probably be easier. One instance I can recall is when I was 17, my parents and I drove out to BWI to send my sister off to Maine to see my grandparents. 9/11 had already passed, but, since my sister was a minor, my mom was allowed to go into the terminal to send her off. The officer was nice, saw me and my dad and let us go to. However, I was into a HUGE punk phase and proceeded to take up about 10 mins of the security ladies time due to my lack of removal of toe rings, a studded belt, rings, bracelets that I couldn't remove (I've cut them off now), earrings, necklaces, etc etc. This would have been a faster and easier alternative! Had I known I was going to go through security, I would have left my punk stuff at home, but, it was a random thing and I def. knew I annoyed the lady after that!

[VPT]

I pity those with discreet body piercings

[hell_lo_kitty]

^^^ I agree ,

However there are a some people in the body mod world that might find this helpful.

I've never had a issue (thankfully), but I've heard stories of people asked to "step into another room when the hand wand goes off," so this would hopefully prevent some of that so people could go without the "strip search." I've also heard stories of some not so nice/understanding airport personel that don't understand that some jewelry in certain body parts is not easy to remove w/o tools, etc.

I'm not fond of the idea, but I don't think it would bother me. The screeners would (I HOPE) be professional with the issue like doctors are, I mean ask any OBGYN "you've seen one, you've seen them all." But I see the pros for the body mod world.

[Roo]

The TSA are completely stupid if they think that security personnel won't reproduce those images. HELLO? It's called a CELL PHONE CAMERA. Can't you just see it now? Some chick with huge boobs comes thru the machine and Melvin in Omaha grabs a shot with his cell and emails it to a friend... "Check out the cans on this one! LOLZ!"

Also, what about CHILDREN?? How will THAT be handled??

I'll choose the pat down, thank you.

[LouisLady]

This makes me nervous. I can barely wear a bathing suit in front of people!

Very embarassing. I don't trust those TSA's anyways. YOU KNOW THEY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE or have lots of fun with it.

Perverts???

[aklein]

double post sorry

[aklein]

Totally unnecessary. How about training the scanners to be more consistent and reliable in picking things up rather than spending money on something that is unnecessary?! Guess I need to start hitting up the gym before going through airport security.

[purly]

hm... you know overexposure to xray causes cancer.

[Emotus]

^ thats what i thought too. Lol. But i feel that thats a total invade of privacy. Im so gonna get paranoid now. And i fly often!

[purly]

Originally Posted by Emotus

^ thats what i thought too. Lol. But i feel that thats a total invade of privacy. Im so gonna get paranoid now. And i fly often!

I mean beyond the health issues from xrays and the principal of the matter on the privacy issue, I have body-issue/privacy related hang ups.

I told hubby about it and he said "they can see that if they really want to". I think guys don't have the same body image issues as we women do. I'm really freaked out that TSA dudes are going to be eyeing me through the lens. I hate being judged.
I guess I find it humiliating.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Roo

The TSA are completely stupid if they think that security personnel won't reproduce those images. HELLO? It's called a CELL PHONE CAMERA. Can't you just see it now? Some chick with huge boobs comes thru the machine and Melvin in Omaha grabs a shot with his cell and emails it to a friend... "Check out the cans on this one! LOLZ!"

Also, what about CHILDREN?? How will THAT be handled??

I'll choose the pat down, thank you.

OMG, my daughter is flying to Arizona to visit my mother. I want no one looking at her naked body. I get why they are doing this but it stil annoys the crap out me.

cell phone camera + youtube =

[Cedes]

This doesn't sound like a pleasant experience to me, especially since one of the first 10 airports to get them will be DFW, which I fly in and out of all the time.

I imagine that at least one person in charge of these devices will use it to their advantage.. whether it's making prohibited copies of the scans, or purposely detaining someone with the intent of scanning them for personal gain it doesn't sound like a good idea.

But I also think a lot of people are quick to jump the gun on freaking out -

"The passengers can choose between the body imaging and the pat-down," she said.

This isn't going to be forced upon anyone.

[purly]

Originally Posted by Cedes

This isn't going to be forced upon anyone.

... at the moment.

[Compass Rose]

Gee...... Remind me to shave.