[REPLEKIA/.]

For those unaware of the present situation, The Transport Security Administration (TSA) has implemented full body scans at numerous major United States airports in an attempt to make air travel more secure. These scans show an essentially naked picture of the person being scanned. Below is an officially released scan by the TSA. It shows how concealed weaponry is made visible with the body scanners.



People who opt out of getting the scans are instead subjected to a pat-down or possibly even a strip search. This applies even to young children, who receive a 'modified' pat-down.

This leaves you with the option of being viewed near naked or being touched in ways most people are uncomfortable with by a TSA official, all in the name of safety. As one might expect, there are a large contingent of people strongly opposed to both options who feel that their rights are being encroached on. Another group of people

It should be noted that full body scans and pat-downs is not isolated solely to the USA. Toronto Pearson Internal and Vancouver International have also implemented the same procedures, and it is likely that many other major Canadian airports will adopt them as well soon.

What's your take on this MacInsiders? Are body scanners a necessity to ensure the safety of a country's citizens or are they a means high-tech voyeurism that encroaches on our rights?

If it stops the terrorists, im all up for it.

Regardless of my personal opinion, seems a bit contrary to our right to be secure against unreasonable search. And that's all that really matters, isn't it?

Its hard to say. In a way it acts like a deterrent for terrorist but I'm pretty sure they if the are determined to carry out a task, they will find alternative methods of doing so.

But if the TSA weren't working for the government then many of the things they are doing can be considered sexual assault. Eg. randomly strip searching those who do not want to get scanned, etc.. The government also said that photos of scanned people won't be saved in anyway. Also really hard to say because they can be easily saved through another method, eg. camera phone.

But flying today is getting to be a real hassle. Baggage restrictions, carry on restrictions, security searches, plus flight delays, cancellations, crappy food...

Oh no, people would see my washboard abs :(

Originally Posted by xxsumz

If it stops the terrorists, im all up for it.

The implementation of body scanners has indeed caught many more smuggled items, most of which are drugs. However, like any security system that relies on human interpretation, it's only as good as its operator. There are plenty of people on the internet who claim to have gotten past the body scanner with dangerous items. One notable such person is Mythbuster's Adam Savage who claims he made it past security inadvertently still carrying 2 12" steel razor blades in his jacket that he had been carrying around at work and forgotten about. ( skip to 1:04 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3yaqq9Jjb4)

Also the number of 'TSA Horror Stories' surfacing is alarming. While the validity of these stories is in question, some of them are quite alarming. One example is of a mother whose child was taken for almost a half hour while she was strip searched after the baby's pacifier clip set off the metal detector. Another awful example is the following video(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KdIa7KNkdQ), where a young boy has his shirt removed and a minor pat down administered in public

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Regardless of my personal opinion, seems a bit contrary to our right to be secure against unreasonable search. And that's all that really matters, isn't it?

disagree, very reasonable search if you want to get on an airplane with other people
dont be selfish or dont fly and enjoy other such services if you dont want to be searched this way

if the TSA official is a female, I won't mind

I just hope airlines improve the food on board.

Originally Posted by Afzal

if the TSA official is a female, I won't mind :p

The pat-downs are always provided by an official of the same gender. You are sadly, out of luck.

I have no problem with the equipment and procedures used by the TSA. After all, haven't we all been begging for better safety measures?

I have a problem with the employees.

With headlines like these: [1][2][3][4][5][6], it makes one wonder what ever happened to simple respect. You would think that in a recession where so many people would be so happy to get a job, the TSA would hire people other than these idiots.

"Don't Touch my Junk"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UqM56e-kRA

I will never go to an airport that uses full body scanners. If it means I never fly out of the country, so be it.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

I will never go to an airport that uses full body scanners. If it means I never fly out of the country, so be it.

If it's not too much to ask, would you care to elaborate on why you feel that way? You obviously have a strong opinion on the matter, so I think the conversation would benefit from you explaining your point of view in greater detail.

Originally Posted by gOOCHTOPHER

disagree, very reasonable search if you want to get on an airplane with other people
dont be selfish or dont fly and enjoy other such services if you dont want to be searched this way

It's the same logic when I've been pulled over driving around at 3 am when I was 16. The only "valid" reason behind it is because "there have been a small amount of idiots in the past who ****ed things up for everyone else."

Not exactly a reasonable reason.

Still waiting for when all this nonsense gets applied to trains, etc and people will be "outraged" by that but not by this.


Maybe if it was 100% effective, then people's rights being infringed upon could be justified.