Airport peep show?

[carandru]

TSA has rolled out some new technology intended to make going through security faster and more effective. The solution you ask? Whole body imaging!! The new tech has only been placed in select airports but should be rolling out to many more in 2009.

The machine appears as such

These are the images that the TSA agents would see:

I saw this on a blog site and thought it was sort of interesting... probably b/c I studied imaging systems as my major but whatevs. I just think its interesting and funny that your entire body will be exposed to the TSA agents. I hope they train the agents already on staff and really screen the new agents so there are not a bunch of freaks and peeping toms trying to get a show!

I see this as having some privacy issues as well. I know the machines do not store, transmit, or print the images, but given the fact that almost every electronic device now has a camera on it...

I can see some untrustworthy employee snapping a pic of celebs for their personal collection or better yet profit. Hell, I had a TSA employee make me get searched just so he could ask for my number. He definitely seemed like the type to steal pics or at least to force you in there so he could get a free show!

blog: FreddyO.com » Superman X-Ray Lets Airport Workers Know If You Are A “Superman”

TSA's description of the new tech:
TSA: Millimeter Wave

 

[NutMeg]

I'd heard about this, very interesting. Sparks a whole new debate about safety versus freedom.

 

[ohnna-lee]

Part of me wants to laugh and the more sensible side is deeply disturbed.

They've had movies about being able to see through clothes but it has been on the OMG BOOBS

level, how are they going to keep the people from totally degrading the travelers? I was disgusted to read what the TSA worker were thinking of doing and I hope to hell they traced that back and got her butt fired. It's the same as entrusting an officer with a search where you are made to to remove clothes, it has to be done by the book and people have to be treated with respect.

On another note, man that first one is HUGE!!!

The process of distinguishing the men from the boys are OVA ladies, meeeow!

 

[airplane_girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohnna-lee On another note, man that first one is HUGE!!! The process of distinguishing the men from the boys are OVA ladies, meeeow!

^^

I'm all about faster lines but crap they can see everything. I would not be as bothered if only female TSA workers can scan females and vice versa.

 

[xsnowwhite]

ha I do not like this idea. Kinda weird...

 

[Holly]

This reminds me of a post frocher made a long time ago- http://specktra.net/f211/us-airports...lothes-103250/

I find it a bit creepy

 

[Ms.Shanti]

wowwww..i do not agree on this whatsoever...how invasive!! bad enough i get harassed at airports just for being half east indian..just by my looks alone i get "randomly searched"

 

[captodometer]

I'm a veterinarian and have a lot of experience taking/reading scans and xrays. You can't really see all that much with the airport scanner; the resolution just isn't that high. So soft tissue opacities will tend to blend together, leaving air and metal as the obvious things that stand out.

I don't really seeing anything in the example that isn't a fabric outline, piece of metal, or blob of fat. It's not even obvious that the overweight one is actually a dude: could just as easily be an overweight woman with a softcup or no bra. And if you are overweight, this scan is going to show it: I think that is one of the true reasons that a lot of people won't like it; the privacy debate is just going to be a convenient excuse.

I personally wouldn't care. When that scanner goes into widespread use, the only other alternative will be to be strip searched.

 

[User93]

I remember the older thread too, and just to add my 2 cents, Idont care and I like it even.

I agree with captodometer, you cant see much, did anyone find that man's pics posted above anyhow sexy or attractive? Lol. And people working there see so much of this images every day, I dont think they would anyhow care.

When it comes to security, I'm all for it. I'd better go through this scan fast and then feel safer on a plane that everyone was scanned like this.

 

[carandru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by captodometer I'm a veterinarian and have a lot of experience taking/reading scans and xrays. You can't really see all that much with the airport scanner; the resolution just isn't that high. So soft tissue opacities will tend to blend together, leaving air and metal as the obvious things that stand out. I personally wouldn't care. When that scanner goes into widespread use, the only other alternative will be to be strip searched.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alibi I agree with captodometer, you cant see much, did anyone find that man's pics posted above anyhow sexy or attractive? Lol. And people working there see so much of this images every day, I dont think they would anyhow care. When it comes to security, I'm all for it. I'd better go through this scan fast and then feel safer on a plane that everyone was scanned like this.

I agree with both of you essentially. The resolution on these types of images is not that high and will pretty much only render real images of dense objects. The less dense soft tissue won't really stand out and no it won't be a total peep show. Overall, these images probably shouldn't be a turn on to anyone. However, in images like these you would be able to tell,like Ohna-lee pointed out, if a guy is "packing" or if a person has any implants of any kind.

While I would ordinarily find this super cool (yea, I am a geek and imaging modalities really peak my interest), my main concern is that the employees responsible for using this technology be properly trained. AND that there are measures to ensure these people are using the equipment according to protocol and not as their personal amusement. I mean, the people working there are human and subject to have the same ratio of responsible people to perverts as in other jobs that require discretion. And I don't know about anyone else, but I've had to deal with some pretty sketchy characters going through airport security. So, I definitely want to make sure these people are looking for weapons only and not seeking to see something else, even if you can't make it out that well.

Of course, there will people who are using the machine if to see if say Justin Timberlake is really ALL THAT down there or if that busty girl is "au natural"... I just want to keep that to a minimum.

 

[concertina]

This *is* about privacy; it isn't a 'convenient excuse.' I don't care that the images are 'low res'. It is *my body*; I have the right to my own damn body. What I eat, what I drink, what I wear, what I pierce or tattoo, when I get pregnant, what I 'implant' or remove, and who sees me naked. The fact that this is even up for debate horrifies me.

The erosions of personal freedoms and privacy that have taken place in this country since September 11th is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[captodometer]

^^^^^ I agree that you have the right to do whatever you want to do with your own body. But this is a case where exercising your rights will probably eliminate/limit some of your privileges and conveniences.

Because the ability to travel anywhere other than where your own two feet can take you isn't a right: it's a privilege, and one that many people don't even have. It's nice to go on vacation or visit relatives in another state without having it take days to get there, but it isn't a necessity. Everyone is aware that there is potentially invasive security screening at airports: they have the option of staying home, or finding some other way to get to where they were going

Most people are going to be worried about having their junk exposed, whatever the junk happens to be. It's obvious to the naked eye who is overweight and who isn't, so I'm not even sure what so-called secret is even being exposed by the scanner

Ditto with pregnancy: it will eventually become obvious and I don't think the obviously pregnant would be scanned in the first place. Breast implants are usually obvious to; they may/may not show up on the scan as they are technically soft tissue opacity buried behind more soft tissue: same for the butt, cheek, penis, chin implants. I understand that some implants are reconstructive but most of them are purely cosmetic. I'd be operating on the assumption that most people with implants actually want other people to look at them! Same with tattoos and body piercings; tats aren't likely to even show up on the scan.

So it is your body, and you have the right to decide how you are going to modify and maintain it. But I find the idea that you will ever have absolute complete control over who can see and comment it on ridiculous to the extreme: if you've ever used a public restroom or fitting room, you have no idea of who has actually seen what. So I wouldn't be getting bent over a blobby looking airport security scan. Just my thoughts.....

Increasing airport security is not just a post 9/11 phenomenon. When I was a little kid in the late 70's/early 80's, you could just walk up to the counter, give whatever name you wanted, pay in cash, and get on the plane without any kind of ID check/security search at all. The metal detectors and xrays were definitely there in 90's, and security personnel have always had the right to search you if they thought that you were suspicious. At least the scanner would be egalitarian in its application: everybody gets screened so no one should feel singled out or persecuted.

 

[banjobama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by captodometer ^^^^^ I agree that you have the right to do whatever you want to do with your own body. But this is a case where exercising your rights will probably eliminate/limit some of your privileges and conveniences. Because the ability to travel anywhere other than where your own two feet can take you isn't a right: it's a privilege, and one that many people don't even have.

ITA. It is just one of the things you have to plan for when flying nowadays. People can look at naked pictures for free on the internet so I highly doubt that they are going to use that crappy scanner picture to get off on. Unless they see a weapon hidden under your clothes, they aren't going to care what you look like.

 

[nelyanaphonexia]

I've had some BAD experiences with the TSA people in airports. One of their men tried to grope my breasts after saying that I needed to be 'searched" and tried to force me to take my clothes off. He yelled at me for almost half an hour that he didn't need a reason to make me take my clothes off or let him grope me. It was his right. So, I missed my flight, had to call my parents to tell them what happened. I also filed a police report against that man, but nothing ever came of it. He is probably still out there doing that crap. I don't fly alone anymore. In fact, I almost never fly at all. Airports and "security" people freak me out now. And now, this scanner thing freaks me out too. But that is a personal issue.

I can see how some people might find this embarrassing, or even violates their rights. I can also see the other side of the story where it would make other people more safe on their flight. It's all in the eye of the beholder, no? I wish they could come up with an X-Ray type machine that would only see if there were weapons on someones body. That is what they are looking for, right? But, there will always be exceptions. What about the person who tried to blow up a plane with some sort of water/gel/liquid? I know there is a reason we can't fly with water bottles or hand lotion anymore. I doubt these body scanners will find stuff like that. So, there will always be exceptions to the rule, I think.

Since I don't plan on flying unless it is completely necessary, I guess I don't have to worry about full body x-ray machines in airports...