# Do you care if an airport screener sees you buck naked? X-Ray specs are here and now! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651 "2003-06-26T23:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/21 "2003-06-27T11:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blonde \* > \*\*I’ve seen this story all over CNN tonight. The airport screener who gets to see my body will hopefully be smiling. (But, seriously, can’t they figure out a way to see less? Guess not. Oh well). \*\* I read about this scanner a couple of months ago (Popular Science?) and they can “back it off” to less resolution. I believe the developer is in the process of fine tuning this for different applications. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/22 "2003-06-27T15:30:05Z")
“It’s as graphic as showing a picture of your skeleton,” Do you think they might have edited it a little so no details are shown so they could reprint in the paper? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/23 "2003-06-28T00:46:36Z")
What about little kids? _shudder_ I actually find this quite disturbing. Also, since it’s the government testing this, doesn’t it go against the Fourth Amendment? ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/24 "2003-06-28T01:07:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > \*\*One could take a viagra beforehand and go through a female scanner’s line. > > Could she sue for sexual harrassment? \*\* would that be in “small claims” court? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/25 "2003-06-28T07:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > Pretty amazing stuff! > > [Transportation Security official Susan Hallowell, as seen through a “backscatter” machine which peels back the dark blazer and skirt she’s wearing.](http://msnbc.com/news/931595.asp?0cv=CB20) That looks fishy. I am not aware you can get x-ray with low enough energy to not go through flesh. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/26 "2003-06-28T12:31:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \* > \*\*That looks fishy. I am not aware you can get x-ray with low enough energy to not go through flesh. \*\* It’s for real. See more on technology in post by Fern Forest in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/27 "2003-06-28T16:33:47Z")
Lead panties could be a hot item soon. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/28 "2003-06-28T18:03:49Z")
I’m pretty sure that they don’t want to see me naked, but if they do want to, well, more power to 'em… I don’t care I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/29 "2003-06-28T18:30:43Z")
I think it would be funny to write some silly message on your skin with special paint like, “ASK ABOUT THE DEAL I GOT ON MY TIMESHARE” I see a whole new world of advertising popping up…😃 ---
**Author:** ![wireless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@wireless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wireless)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/30 "2003-06-28T19:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\* > Also, since it’s the government testing this, doesn’t it go against the Fourth Amendment? \*\* [cynical wireless] Like _that_ means anything nowadays. [/cynical wireless] Probably use that “volunteering to travel/don’t have to if you don’t want to be scanned” argument… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/31 "2003-06-28T22:37:50Z")
I wonder if it would work if I wrote “Bite me” on my stomach… ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/32 "2003-06-28T23:04:27Z")
Well, I was a bit unnerved by this post, but now I figure I’ll get over the embarrassment. With the shape my body is in now, the scanner person will be scarred for life . . . ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/33 "2003-06-28T23:34:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*I wonder if it would work if I wrote “Bite me” on my stomach… \*\* They would consider you a provocateur and subject you to a body cavity seach. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/34 "2003-06-29T00:42:18Z")
Well, my objection is that if any other male technicians saw through my clothes, they’d all go home in despair. 😉 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/35 "2003-06-29T01:07:10Z")
if the screener can handle a view of Moby, then it wouldn’t bother me. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/36 "2003-06-29T01:23:27Z")
So, how long before they get the technology scaled down enough to fit in a pair of glasses? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/37 "2003-06-29T15:00:04Z")
“So, how long before they get the technology scaled down enough to fit in a pair of glasses?” It’s been around a long time, I saw Xray specs in the 70s you could buy for a dollar 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/38 "2003-06-29T17:56:46Z")
Y’know… having been in a situation where I’ve seen lots of naked people at once, I can tell you that it gets old in short order. I can only imagine that it would be pretty much the same for anyone operating a backscatter scanner like this, only moreso. I sort of imagine them going home, and saying to their SO, “Honey, if I see _one_ more…” Seriously, I have no problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/39 "2003-06-29T18:58:31Z")
I don’t like it because they haven’t yet explained how this device reacts nor what the protocol would be for those with medical devices and implants. Is a traveller’s pacemaker/penile implant/insulin pump/skull plate/breast implants really something that needs to be openly revealed to a $10/hour screener before they’re safe to board a plane? And while this is a “low level” of radiation, that’s for an adult. What about children? How about pregnant women? If each image will displayed with an “electronic fig leaf” what’s to stop someone from boarding a plane wearing a plastique tampon or buttplug? Seems like a huge loss of privacy that can still be countered with any number of getarounds, if someone is determined to engage in an act of terrorism. If the backscatter x-ray detects the pound of C4 I’ve attached to the small of my back, why wouldn’t I just blow myself up there in the terminal, killing everyone waiting in the mile-long security line and do vast damage to the building? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651/40 "2003-06-29T19:16:39Z")
_Already in Use_ wrote: **I wish they had a similar image of a man so we could compare the level of, um, explicitness.** C’mon, you can clearly see a shadow made by the woman’s vaginal cleft in the photo, how is it NOT gonna show a guy’s cock? that said, I’m with those who are unconcerned. Whatever sex the operator is, the images just aren’t that sexy and lookng at them all day will get very old, very fast. Until the Hooters jet lands, anyway. My concern will be people “guesting” to view the screens, and sooner or later, you know some tabloid or degenerate website’s gonna offer some screener a shitload of money if they can get a recognizable image of a naked celeb. Hmmm … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-care-if-an-airport-screener-sees-you-buck-naked-x-ray-specs-are-here-and-now/184651.md?page=3)