Airport Body Imaging

You wouldn’t want to be stripped naked in the middle of an airport for virtually anyone to see, so why, say critics of airport body imaging, would you want a scan of your naked body taken and shown at the security gate? In the light of new security threats at America’s airports, it is no wonder that many people want more intrusive security measures taken to ensure everyone’s safety. The problem, according to the system’s critics, is that airport body imaging leaves the innocent feeling violated.

Allowing security officers to see anything a person may be hiding underneath their clothing, this millimeter technology does not leave much to the imagination to those viewing the scans, say critics. Meanwhile, advocates of the security system claim that privacy issues are being addressed by:

• using a blurrier setting than the device offers to make body parts less noticeable by viewers
• using two security officers; one to scan the passenger in person and the other to view the scan in a separate area without ever seeing the passenger face-to-face
• blurring out the passengers face on the screen
• keeping all viewing screens away from others in the surrounding area
• deleting all images immediately after the scan has been reviewed and the passenger cleared for admittance

Even with these privacy safeguards, many critics worry that airport body imaging technology will only become better and better as it becomes more commonly available, leaving many passengers at the mercy of those viewing their naked body scans.