Today’s USA Today has on its front page a story about a new X-Ray machine for use in airports that can see through clothing. The machine apparently generates images that, “paint a revealing picture of a person’s nude body”.
The first thing I thought was, “cool! Where can I get one? And when will the technology be put into specs?”
But I can see why people might be upset at this development. Is there to be no privacy at all in airports? I was offended enough when the security at Heathrow decided to have a good old rummage in my luggage, now I have to put up with giggling security personnel leering at my scrawny, inadequate body?
The article does not discuss the need for these machines. Are not current metal detectors adequate for preventing people from getting on an aeroplane with firearms?
If an airline says it wants me to walk through this machine as a condition of getting on one of their planes, that is one thing: it’s a private company deciding that this is a necessary measure to protect its customers or keep down its insurance costs. It’s their aircraft, they can quite rightly refuse to allow on anyone they feel like for whatever reason.
But if the government mandates the use of these machines, then that’s the government forcing airlines and airports into doing something they and their passengers likely don’t want to do. It’s governments yet again abusing their power to achieve nothing of value to anyone except politicians who want to look like they’re doing something useful.
…Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a Senate subcommittee last month that he wants to employ the technology and doesn’t want an “endless debate” over privacy issues.
And still there is no adequate information available on the safety of these damn things.