The next manifestation of the Big Brother state is almost upon us. The EU wants to make it mandatory for all airports to use body scanners. Big deal, you might say, but when you walk through one of these scanners it effectively strips you naked. If that doesn't infringe a human right I don't know what does. They've already been deployed at a couple of French airports - each one costs around £100,000.The German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has, thankfully, said that Germany will veto any such measure as he regards it as an invasion of privacy. I have tried to find out what the British government view is, but so far without success.
40 comments:
Ooh Dearie me, a bit of embarrassing 'camel toe' - that is one 'invasion' of privacy which really could be done without...
Never mind, I expect Tom Harris is all in favour..
Most people look pretty hideous with their clothes off, even when photographed by David Bailey. Clearly the quality of image here is unlikel to excite anybody.
The clear advantage of this technology is shown by your imagery. The gun is plain for all to see!
Bring 'em on!
As Eusual, this is nothing to do with seceurity, it is just to feed the European Seceurity manufacturers with fat contracts. MEPs are clearly steupid, or Correupt, or both. Acteually, correupt. For Seure.
Is the figure on the right Colin 'Man Boobs' Montgomerie, the golfer?
I got picked 'at random' from a queue at Heathrow maybe 18 months ago and was told that if I helped with the trial I could go straight to the head of the queue. In itself the scan is very simple but I did ask to see the scan, they would only show me the back view for some reason but yes, it looks like you're naked. So, they've been used in the UK for a while now.
Intimate piercings and such as cock rings are no business of airport security.
DR
Whoever did that tattoo of a gun on that poor woman should be shot.
That said you have to admire the gall of people who claim the building of a nazi superstate will ensure the peace in Europe. Viva la revolucion
I have no problem with this at all. For one thing, it might encourage everyone to tone up a bit.
How embarrassing for women if this happens. Imagine the embarrassment during menstration....
It certainly is an invasion of privacy.
Gets me through security faster I'm happy. They now take your picture when you go through BMI at heathrow, but not if you go via. BA. I asked them what it was for and they said 'shopping' in fact is doesn't appear to have anything to do with shopping. Why they find the need to lie about it and why you don't have you photo taken if you go via. the same terminal but a different airline I have no idea.
Iain, These photo's do not do you justice!
This is totally out of order. It's yet further evidence of the depravity in this beaurocratic beast. How the hell am i going to smuggle heroin on holidays?
Airport security is a complete farce. lt is has very little to do with security at all and is in reality nothing more than illusion created by governments to appear that they are doing something positive.
Confiscating lighters (which you can then buy in the departure lounge ... duh?),nail scissors etc and liquids do absolutely nothing to increase security.
Take the confiscation of liquids because they are suspect explosives. What do they do with them? ... throw them all together in a big bin! lf they really thought they were explosives would anybody in their right mind do this?
Chances of 9/11 happening again are virtually zero as passengers will no longer remain in their seats when confronted with terrorists. Coupled with this is the secure flightdeck.
Terrorist organisations are either completely devoid of ideas or simply do not wish to bring the airline industry to it's knees. There are many many ways to bring an aircraft down and continue doing so with virtually no chance of detection by airport security measures.
But we carry on wasting millions whilst believing the p*ss runnning down our backs is rain.
That pistol poking into the womens bottom must be painful!
Spartan says:
"passengers will no longer remain in their seats when confronted with terrorists"
My, you have a lot of faith in human nature. My guess, based on the way air passengers generally behave in a crisis, is that they will scream at the top of their voices and shit themselves.
is that really you in the picture Iain you looked nothing like that on TV
oh you right wingers all look the same
Wrinkled Weasel said...
"My, you have a lot of faith in human nature. My guess, based on the way air passengers generally behave in a crisis, is that they will scream at the top of their voices and shit themselves."
Generally they did till 9/11 and thats why the first 3 flights succeeded in reaching their targets. Flight 93 passengers learned through mobiles attacks on WTA and so took action.
Faced with certain death or chance of life ... not a hard choice to make. Would you do otherwise?
The machines have been in use for a while. I was tested in Heathrow way back in 2005.
Iain said "I have tried to find out what the British government view is, but so far without success."
They probably won't say anything until these machines have already been fully rolled out - its the way they work these days.
But rolled out they have been, and continue to be:
Met deploys mobile body scanner (Oct 2004)
Plane passengers shocked by their x-ray scans (Nov 2004)
An electronic strip search (Mar 2004)
By the way, the lady displayed before our eyes in Iain's piece is one Susan Hallowell and she is/was the Director of the US Transportation Security Administration's Security Lab. You can be sure that the newer real world machines reveal much more than this 'impartial person' was prepared to release to the media at the time.
Even this reporter from CNN felt the need to insert a strategic and rather hefty steel plate down his pants...
Virtual Strip Search / YouTube
Out of shape? Worried about the airport security operators having a laugh? Well forget the Channel Tunnel alternative, they already have the machines installed. Also, this equipment can be installed into a van which will scan your entire vehicle and its occupants as you drive by. I wonder how many of those are stealthly driving around our streets, or soon will be?
Personally, rather than receiving a blast of X-Rays on my next jaunt abroad, I'll happily strip off if the security folk are so keen to see what I'm packing.
Place them at the entrance to the HoC and connect the feed to a streaming webcam*. Lets see if our esteemed leaders think it is ok.
I wonder if they will fit these to "fast track"? Methinks not.
* bit late for Halloween, I know.
These machines have been at Schiphol for some time and the Dutch don't seem too bothered - see http://www.expatica.com/nl/articles/news/Dutch-show-little-opposition-to-airport-body-scanners-.html
Since they can detect non-metallic weapons (ceramic knives, gel-based explosives) that traditional detectors (like those "wands" that they use) can't detect, then surely they are a good thing?
And besides, is this any worse than being "patted down" by some burly security official? I don't see great tirades against patting down in this comment thread.
Anyway, if you are a terrorist, don't bother with planes or Channel trains. Go for the ferries - security checks there are non-existent.
This isn't so much an EU thing as a UK thing - it is the UK pushing for it. And yes it could be embarassing for men with small genitals.
Spartan, I would definitely have a go but would expect to be in a posse of one. Anyone care to join me in killing the bastards?
just as long as i have women looking at the my scans ..... just in case ... no it's not a gun, i am pleased to see you!
Ann, I'm not sure I follow what you're getting at. And I'm well used to my period equipment showing up on the parliament x ray machines and it doesn't bother me. You wouldn't blush at a plaster would you?
did you model for it? :¬)
they have loads of these machines at schipol - I went through one and blogged aboout it in June: http://peteskelley.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-security-machine.html
Yes, I went through that one at Schipol. The security man said, "Excuse me sir, but is that a rocket launcher in your pocket?"
From the article I read about this, it stated that the machine would not record a picture of persons scanned - only generate a live image. If this is true, then you would be just an anonymous naked CGI. However, with hard drives and the "everything is recorded somewhere" culture, is it possible to be sure of this?
Mmm.. Don't fancy yours much, Iain..
Why did they use this particular model to pose for the picture?
Having considered this objectively, they could have chosen someone quite likely to carry a gun, say someone married to a rapper with a criminal record. To pick a name at random, someone like Beyoncé.
It's all a farce, innit? I went through EMA recently and was security checked by a scanner operator having a chat around the back, my little bag of toothpaste and mouthwash not noticed in my bag (I forgot it) and this time they didn't take our shoes or belts (depends on the shift apparently). On the airside I could have stolen a nice steel knife from the self - service restaurant and take it aboard without further check. At Leeds a while back they employed a complex test on my small tube of savlon "to see if it's liquid". I said it wasn't, it was an emulsion, but the complex test consisted of squeezing a bit onto a tissue and seeing if it showed wetness. Wow.
As for Schipol, they're total bastards. If your duty free wasn't bought in Schipol but you came in on a connectijng flight, even if it's D/F shop sealed, they pour it away, and then suggest you go back to THEIR D/F shop and buy some more. And yes, they say it's all due to EU regulations.
But we are stuck with this because the EU forced the airport operators to invest in this rubbish, and now dare not pull the plug even though they know (and have a report to say so) that it's pointless.
"I have tried to find out what the British government view is, but so far without success."
Allow me to assist you, Iain. This British government doesn't understand the concept of privacy for the peasantry.
This government will be delighted at the chance to reduce our privacy a bit more. As for security will any Muslim be able to claim a religious right to keep their modesty (though Muslim men generaly only apply that to their women)it's their human rights you know.
I am sure that at least one government minister knows somebody that could do the job for only a few billion more than the original contract and who would be glad to give him a job after the next election.
Wouldn't bother me at all. I bathe naked on beaches so I don't care. Of course, I'm not grossly overweight like most people.
Went through an airport last night and they confiscated a can of beer I'd intended to drink but forgot. Doh!
Word ver: ponstr
I think they forgot the first "r".
"A chain is only as strong as the weakest link.." There is no point in putting these scanners in place when the security that is currently there would be adequate, were it not for lapses in training or implementation.
One thing that does perplex me is why this woman has no hair, but does have a moustache ??
Iain why do you need to ask the British government's view.
You know the answer already - they've probably already signed the cheque for as many as the company can deliver.
It is quicker than being patted down.Queuing time will be reduced.
Being a straight male, I do not like another man, not known to me, patting my inner thigh.
Happy to go through this device
These machines have been in use at Heathrow (terminal 4) for at least a couple of years now. I've been through them three times.
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