# On the subject of airport body scanners (again) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 4, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196 "2010-08-04T22:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/1 "2010-08-04T22:10:11Z")
So I was just reading [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554813&highlight=scanners) about body scanners a few months ago. It didn’t seem like many were concerned then. But then I read [this](http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html) article (from [cnet.com](http://cnet.com)) today, which, as it turns out, the scans have actually been saved all this time (when it was apparently said they wouldn’t be). **WARNING: THE LINKED ARTICLE IS PROBABLY NOT SAFE FOR WORK DUE TO SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF SCANS ON THE PAGE.** From the link above: > [@](#): > > For the last few years, federal agencies have defended body scanning by insisting that all images will be discarded as soon as they’re viewed. But then… > [@](#): > > Now it turns out that some police agencies are storing the controversial images after all. The U.S. Marshals Service admitted this week that it had surreptitiously saved tens of thousands of images recorded with a millimeter wave system at the security checkpoint of a single Florida courthouse. > … > This privacy debate, which has been simmering since the days of the Bush administration, came to a boil two weeks ago when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that scanners would soon appear at virtually every major airport. The updated list includes airports in New York City, Dallas, Washington, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Philadelphia. Seems to me like privacy is taking a back seat here and while I would probably prefer safety over privacy, the whole “Oh yeah, we need to save them for..uh..testing purposes” excuse seems hinky. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/2 "2010-08-04T22:21:01Z")
Fuck, if it’ll let me breeze through security in ten seconds flat, I could care less if somebody sees the grey outline of my dick. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/3 "2010-08-04T22:51:54Z")
I find it hard to get worked up about images like the ones in the linked article. A visible-light photograph of a person wearing normal summertime clothes looks a lot more like a naked person than those scans do. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/4 "2010-08-04T23:02:43Z")
Who cares anyway? They should just make every one on the plane get naked. Maybe let the stewards hand out little paper hospital gowns after the plane’s in the air. Imagine how much faster the lines would be. Ok, fine, they could have a ladies’ section and a mens’ section. But that’s so lame. Maybe they could have a kiddie section for all the clothed people. They’d still have to undress but they would get footie pajamies to wear instead. Land of the free, home of the brave (and somewhat chilly.) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/5 "2010-08-04T23:29:49Z")
Let them store it. I don’t care if somebody’s jacking off in the back to those images. Not like you can identify anyone’s face from that ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/6 "2010-08-04T23:33:21Z")
Wow. I’m not conservative, but I still can understand a person being reluctant to have other people looking at snapshots of their (formerly-)private parts. On the other hand, my level of sympathy only extends to suggesting they take the train/boat instead. There is a price one pays for convenience, and if they don’t want to pay that price, there are ways not to. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/7 "2010-08-04T23:37:19Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Let them store it. I don’t care if somebody’s jacking off in the back to those images. Not like you can identify anyone’s face from that What if the system also stored names along with the pictures? Would that change your perception of this? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/8 "2010-08-04T23:43:21Z")
Yeah, I’d be terrified if total strangers knew what my name was. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/9 "2010-08-04T23:46:47Z")
Well heck, if this is where the discussion is going, who wants to send me a nude photo spread? Seein’ as none of you care who looks and all. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/10 "2010-08-05T06:46:13Z")
Transsexuals trying to pass pre-op care very much indeed. Perhaps it would be different if the people viewing the scans could be relied on to act as professionals or even grown ups, but time and again it has been demonstrated that they cannot be trusted. I imagine some others who take modesty seriously care as well, as do many famous people who don’t choose to be naked in public or pose for nude pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/11 "2010-08-05T13:34:14Z")
The snickering or lack of trust among TSA agents is far outweighed by the need for national security and American’s short attention-span theater desire to zip through security. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/12 "2010-08-05T13:44:43Z")
> [@lee](#): > > as do many famous people who don’t choose to be naked in public or pose for nude pictures. I have to admit, that angle hadn’t occurred to me. I can imagine the temptation to capture and distribute celeb “nudes” (I wonder if one of Jennifer Garner would be similar to the rain scene from _Daredevil_) would be palpable and given numerous examples of TSA unprofessionalism, inevitable. I don’t see a remedy, aside from giving passengers the option for a slower, more conventional check (which I figure will last until someone manages to sneak a weapon through). Meanwhile, I personally will be okay with the scan as long if it allows me to skip the hassle. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/13 "2010-08-05T15:31:36Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > [@YogSosoth](#): > > > > Let them store it. I don’t care if somebody’s jacking off in the back to those images. Not like you can identify anyone’s face from that > > What if the system also stored names along with the pictures? Would that change your perception of this? A little bit. Until scanning tech actually looks better, it doesn’t concern me that much. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/14 "2010-08-05T16:36:40Z")
Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! ---
**Author:** ![Lightsaber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Lightsaber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightsaber)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/15 "2010-08-05T16:58:12Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! 1. Body scanners don’t make airports more secure. 2. Airport employees are already misusing the technology. [http://www.infowars.com/airport-worker-caught-ogling-image-of-woman-on-naked-body-scanner/](http://www.infowars.com/airport-worker-caught-ogling-image-of-woman-on-naked-body-scanner/) [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/24/airport-worker-warned-body-scanner](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/24/airport-worker-warned-body-scanner) [http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/airport-body-scanners-reveal-all-but-what-about-when-its-your-kid/1109659](http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/airport-body-scanners-reveal-all-but-what-about-when-its-your-kid/1109659) [http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/ckuxk](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/ckuxk) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/16 "2010-08-05T17:12:12Z")
> [@Lightsaber](#): > > 1. Body scanners don’t make airports more secure. > > 2. Airport employees are already misusing the technology. 1. Can you explain how allowing airport security to see exactly what people are carrying is useless? Also, even if the scanners did nothing at all, they are a deterent. 2. so what? So sone random guy who has never seen you in person and will never see you again saw the rough outline of your boobs. Who cares?! And if he’s Getting off on the pictures linked earlier, he’d be getting off on seeing you fully clothed. Should we seperate all men and women in all public spaces so no one ever looks at anyone elses boobs? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/17 "2010-08-05T17:12:18Z")
> [@Lightsaber](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! > > 1. Body scanners don’t make airports more secure. > > 2. Airport employees are already misusing the technology. > > [http://www.infowars.com/airport-worker-caught-ogling-image-of-woman-on-naked-body-scanner/](http://www.infowars.com/airport-worker-caught-ogling-image-of-woman-on-naked-body-scanner/) > > [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/24/airport-worker-warned-body-scanner](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/24/airport-worker-warned-body-scanner) > > [http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/airport-body-scanners-reveal-all-but-what-about-when-its-your-kid/1109659](http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/airport-body-scanners-reveal-all-but-what-about-when-its-your-kid/1109659) > > [http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/ckuxk](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/ckuxk) None of your links prove your first assertion, that body scanners don’t make airports more secure. Indeed, the first one is from an obviously highly biased site (they refer to TSA as “The Thugs”), and the last one is a blog entry complaining about his girlfriend being scanned. Do you actually have any evidence that the body scanners do not make the airports any safer? Not that they don’t make them 100% safe… but that they do not move the needle even in the slightest bit in the direction of more safety? ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/18 "2010-08-05T17:18:46Z")
> [@Lightsaber](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! > > 1. Body scanners don’t make airports more secure. In general, the thought of someone looking at images of my body scan isn’t going to keep me awake, but given my personal beliefs that most of the TSA rules are more about making people FEEL safe rather than BE safe, I’m not inclined to cut them any slack here. Either find a way to guarantee that the images won’t be stored, or provide travelers with an alternative. What has me more concerned than today’s scans is the precedense being set. Just because a scan now looks like a kindergardener drew it, and isn’t connected to my name, doesn’t mean that the same will be true in 20 years. It’s a pretty safe bet that the images will become more detailed. Hmm, I wonder what would happen if the cod piece made a comeback? ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/19 "2010-08-05T18:03:52Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! How about some sympathy for those of us who will get stopped when TSA sees the outline and thinks we have a rocket launcher stuffed down our pants? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196/20 "2010-08-05T20:22:28Z")
> [@villa](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > Er, WHAT? There’s a black-and-white image that looks like a four year old took a bunch of clay and formed it into the general shape of a human. So what if someone sees your dick’s outline? They don’t know you. WHY DO YOU CARE?! > > How about some sympathy for those of us who will get stopped when TSA sees the outline and thinks we have a rocket launcher stuffed down our pants? :D:D:D I nominate this for best post [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-airport-body-scanners-again/549196.md?page=2)