I have written before about the diminishment of privacy in the United States. I recently found out that another part of our privacy is dissapearing in Chicago. A new security device is going to be used at O'Hare airport which uses a full body scan for supposed security purposes. The full body scan is a very controversial machine because it is a virtual strip search. The machine scans your entire body and spits out an image of your body to the operator. The image that the body scanner produces are said to "reveal the contours of a person's body with embarrassing clarity." (Daily Herald)
While passengers do have the option to be patted down by an officer instead of going through the body scan, many travelers may not even realize what the scanner is or how it is violating their privacy. I think security at airports is extreamly important, however, I don't think that investing in a machine that allows the oporators to see an image of you vertually naked is appropriate security measures.
Actually, when I went to Russia in 2007 I went through one of these scans. I don't speak Russian, so I really didn't know what was going on when the woman working the machine (if I remember correctly, it was like a big metal ring that you would stand in with your arms outstretched) motioned that I should remove my jewelery. After I stepped out, and my mom basically mentioned what you say in your blog about the ethics and necessity of it, only then did I realize that a perfect stranger basically saw me naked.
ReplyDeleteIt was a really weird bit of knowledge, not one that I would like to repeat, but honestly these people, like doctors, probably don't care about what's under your clothes, unless you are harboring bombs, etc.
If there was anyway that we could not make everyone go through this without racially profiling, it would be so much easier. For instance, if security was simply walking through a detector upon entering an airport, where they could scan you and your bag for explosives, and THEN pull you aside if need be, think about how much easier airport hassles would be.