News Backscatter X-rays for airport screening

[BobG]

Airports are thinking about installing new backscatter X-ray machines for screening passengers (http://www.campaignfortruth.com/Eclub/210703/CTM-airportxray.htm

These screeners see through clothes, but bounce off metal and skin, leaving the traveller essentially naked to the person monitoring the screen. Hopefully, the monitor will be in a booth or at least blocked from the view of the public.

Do you see this as a violation of your privacy or more like being seen naked by a doctor?

 

[selfAdjoint]

Violation of privacy, definitely; the situation with the doctor is not really comparable. Plus, what is the radiation dose from this? How much accumulated dosage would frequent flyers pick up in a year? What about our constitutional right to be "secure in our persons"? Doesn't that mean the government agrees not to frisk us if it will harm us? At least without prior cause?

 

[BobG]

Yeah, the health risk might be my only concern. The dose is supposed to be similar to the amount received from sunshine, but the frequencies are different, meaning the effects probably aren't identical.

If they meet health standards, though, I'd find them acceptable. They're faster and more reliable than the current close inspection methods like pat downs or the hand-held wands.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

The possible radiation dose was the only thing that bothered me about the idea. Otherwise I don't see what the big deal is. Really, just how naked is someone going to look that way?