Airport full body scaners

[draggar]

I understand that safety needs to be as high as possible with airplanes and airports but..

They've installed some "full body scanners" in the Fort Lauderdale international airport and they've showed videos of it on TV and at the Sun Sentinel's website (funny how you can tell if the source supports it or not).

They claim a few things:

Images are deleted as soon as they are done with this. I doubt it. I'm sure they'll keep an archive, especially if you're on some watch list.

The person viewing the images are in a separate room with no contact with the passengers. I can believe this.

The person viewing it will not share the images with anyone else. I doubt it - these are regular Joe Schmoe who just happened to get this job. They're human and I'm sure they will share the images.

Faces will be blurred. I highly doubt this one. Or else terrorists could hide something under a wig.

The images they showed on TV were censored but you can tell that all is seen as if you were standing naked in front of them.

What next? You need to strip down out of all your clothes to board a plane?

[Dreamstalker]

There's one at the ABQ Sunport and at the head of that line they have a sample image. You can't really see anything "interesting" and the image doesn't really have a face (I suspect that glasses and the like would be picked up).

I'm not 100% certain about the images being deleted although if something's found I would guess they pull the passenger right away, that particular image would only be kept if they did find something on a further search.

I've been through the scanner before and honestly don't see a massive issue.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The thing that gets me is that apparently, due to the child porn laws (here, anyway; I don't know about America), the under eighteens are excluded. We already have seen the depths that these terrorists will sink in order to make their attacks; what's to stop them from brainwashing teenagers and getting them to carry bombs? They wouldn't even have to brainwash them; they could just lie and say that they're just asking for items to be taken thru customs; a lot of people fall for this kind of thing and become drug mules already. These people will always try and find a loophole to wriggle thru, no matter what security devices are brought out. What's going to be the next step once the terrorists manage to get thru the full body scan with a fifteen year old who's been duped into carrying a bomb on to a plane? Strip searches? Internal searches?

[smileyeagle1021]

Images are deleted as soon as they are done with this. I doubt it. I'm sure they'll keep an archive, especially if you're on some watch list.

I can believe it. There is no reason to save an image unless there is something suspicious found on it, and in that case I'm hoping that they are actually doing something other than just saving it on the computer for future use.
Also, working for a company that has to follow the same rules (all data deleted as soon as the session is completed) I can tell you for certain, if they have even close to the same rules as we have to follow (which if anything they probably would be held to higher standards) it is immediate termination and prison time for saving information and distributing it.

[Ree]

Hmmm...this was interesting.

Miami airport screener accused of attacking co-worker over genital jokes

[Hobbs]

Hmmm...this was interesting.

Miami airport screener accused of attacking co-worker over genital jokes

Not really interesting. They were both agents and the incident happened during a training session.

TSA officials stressed that the incident was an anomaly: screeners usually review full-body images in a separate room with the person's face blurred

[insertNameHere]

There's one at the ABQ Sunport and at the head of that line they have a sample image. You can't really see anything "interesting" and the image doesn't really have a face (I suspect that glasses and the like would be picked up).

I'm not 100% certain about the images being deleted although if something's found I would guess they pull the passenger right away, so why keep the image then?

I've been through the scanner before and honestly don't see a massive issue.

Have you to a fast food restaurant ever? Look at the sample image, the burger looks perfect and juicy, the one you actually get is all smashed, hard to distinguish. I'm suggesting the opposite, that they show a low quality image and are actually getting rather high quality.


draggar, I see a theme in your posts of course anyone without their head up their ass would know the symbolism of "Don't tread on me". Glad I'm not the only person who seems to see problem with how things have been shifted lately.

Another point, patriot act is a do whatever the fuck we want for national security act, I can easily see them secretly keeping backups, personally, I would prefer more proper racial profiling. Currently they seem to try and avoid checking Muslim's and head for the 80yr old woman who can barely take her shoes off. Yes anyone can be a terrorist but at the same time, who have they been letting slip through to be politically correct?

[Ree]

Not really interesting. They were both agents and the incident happened during a training session.

Yes, I read the article. I'm not usually in the habit of posting links to stories that I haven't already read through thoroughly, but thanks for attempting to clarify.

I meant, in light of the discussion where people are worried about the quality of image the machines produce, that was quite interesting to read. If, in a training session, the machine produced an image that obviously showed the man's "shortcomings" enough to cause a coworker to tease him, it would certainly make me uncomfortable to think about having to go through one of those, myself.

Regardless of whether the face is blurred in normal use, I am still self conscious enough to be concerned about what is visible.

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time that "officials" stressed something to the media in an effort to put a spin on a situation.

[Boozy]

I was scanned using one the full body scanners at the Tampa FL airport in March.

The security personnel, who were unfailingly polite and respectful, pulled me out of line for "additional screening" (likely because I was wearing baggy clothes.)

They gave me the option of an old-fashioned pat-down or the body scanner. I chose the scan because I assumed it would be quicker, and besides, I was damned curious.

It took about ten seconds and it felt less invasive than someone's hands all over me.

I can understand why someone might not choose the scan, but for people like me it's a great option. It's quick, and easy, and I don't care if some stranger I'll never meet sees an image of my body in a professional setting.

What I'd like to see is airports continuing to give passengers the option of using the scanners or having the pat-down. The scanners really speed things along at security points, but I'm not comfortable forcing anyone to have a scan in order to fly.

[draggar]

Not really interesting. They were both agents and the incident happened during a training session.

TSA officials stressed that the incident was an anomaly: screeners usually review full-body images in a separate room with the person's face blurred

Note: USUALLY - this means that there instances where they are not in a seperate room and/or your face is blurred.

draggar, I see a theme in your posts of course anyone without their head up their ass would know the symbolism of "Don't tread on me". Glad I'm not the only person who seems to see problem with how things have been shifted lately.

While I am all for safety and security I do not like the idea of practically having pictures being taken of me naked. Maybe they need to work on the actual sytems. My wife has titanium hips - it actually scares me how often she does NOT set off metal detectors in airports, even with her service dog (and a metal harness).

Another point, patriot act is a do whatever the fuck we want for national security act, I can easily see them secretly keeping backups, personally, I would prefer more proper racial profiling. Currently they seem to try and avoid checking Muslim's and head for the 80yr old woman who can barely take her shoes off. Yes anyone can be a terrorist but at the same time, who have they been letting slip through to be politically correct?

NJ state police was under fire when I lived there for racial profilling but during the time that it was alleged that they were doing this arrests were up. Afterwards, the opposite happened, officers reported that minorities often got a "free pass" because they were afraid of being accused of racially profiling. I'm willing to bet there are some states that still racially profile but are good at hiding it (FL and TX come to mind).

But - I can verify "random" checks at airports. My mother in law was once "selected" to be searched. She was born in the USA (NJ), had a clean record, agood career (RN), and rarely left the USA. The only things that could be red flags on her were the fact that she has a Spanish last name (or Italian?) and had been to Argentina a couple of times over the past 15-20 years, but that's because my father in law is from Argentina.

I've had some long conversations with local police officers and it's interesting to see how much "big brother" is watching. One mentioned how often he stops someone for a traffic violation and a HSA alert comers up on his PC - he is to report to them that he interacted with that person, what he did, the outcome, but NOT to let the person know that there was a HSA alert on them.

People also need to realize that the Gadsden flag was ALMOST our national flag and was commonly used during the revolutionary war (a version of it is still flown on navy ships (the "navy jack"). I would also love to fly the flag where I live but I know that my neighborhood is so lowly educated that people not only would not know what it means but would also think I'm telling everyone to leave us alone.

[AdminAssistant]

Another point, patriot act is a do whatever the fuck we want for national security act, I can easily see them secretly keeping backups, personally, I would prefer more proper racial profiling. Currently they seem to try and avoid checking Muslim's and head for the 80yr old woman who can barely take her shoes off. Yes anyone can be a terrorist but at the same time, who have they been letting slip through to be politically correct?

I am sincerely hoping for sarcasm here. Yes, the 9/11 hijackers were Muslim, but that does not mean we should be profiling and discriminating against all Muslims.

[Dreamstalker]

ABQ had the scanners before everyone else (the Sunport seems to be used as a testing ground for new tech, the scanner 'cabinet' used to be an air-puffer device). I went through the body-scanner line mainly because it was shorter, but also because I wanted to see what the thing was.

No trouble at all; it didn't take any longer than the traditional screening process. As far as x-ray exposure, it's minimal (you'd absorb more radiation sitting in the middle of Trinity Site for an hour).

[Hobbs]

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time that "officials" stressed something to the media in an effort to put a spin on a situation.

Why condescension towards officials?

Anyway, that's not the point. Neither is Draggar's useless point out of "usually." I don't think their language is some subversive plot by the government to invade your genetalia or body, for that matter.

Also, it doesn't say what even happened in entirety. For all we know, it showed a basic outline and the guy is a jerk and thought he'd tease his coworker about it, even though it was impossible to determine size. I've been in high school; even when I never went to gym or changed in front of people, some guys teased me for being small. They didn't have to see anything to do that.


I, for one, find it reminiscent of Total Recall. As such, I completely support it.

[draggar]

Anyway, that's not the point. Neither is Draggar's useless point out of "usually." I don't think their language is some subversive plot by the government to invade your genetalia or body, for that matter.

I'm not worried about the government doing that - I'm worried about the workers. Call me modest but I don't like strangers looking at me that way.

I, for one, find it reminiscent of Total Recall. As such, I completely support it.

I don't like them at all but I will not be one of those telling the airport to get rid of them. I'm glad that I'll have the option to do the x-ray or a normal metal detector and "pat down" - I'll opt for the old fashoned way.

As for Total Recall - I agree with that (too bad that technology is too ahead of us and so out of date, though).

[Hobbs]

I'm not worried about the government doing that - I'm worried about the workers. Call me modest but I don't like strangers looking at me that way.



I don't like them at all but I will not be one of those telling the airport to get rid of them. I'm glad that I'll have the option to do the x-ray or a normal metal detector and "pat down" - I'll opt for the old fashoned way.

As for Total Recall - I agree with that (too bad that technology is too ahead of us and so out of date, though).

You'd rather be felt up by someone than casually glanced at for a few moments?