Airport security checks nowadays resemble a military operation – you have to empty the contents of your life into a tray, place your liquids in a small plastic bag, and then pass by various scanners and vigilant staff.
Airports have truly upgraded with the introduction of X-ray machines that can analyze you from head to toe and detect potential threats. The process is certainly less intrusive than a physical pat-down by border agents, but it was not without its flaws and faced some significant teething problems upon its introduction.
Airport Body Scanner Revelation
Many people may not realize it, but the scanners introduced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) once produced a full-body image of the traveler standing inside, with legs spread wide and arms raised high – capturing every detail.
Backscatter technology was implemented at airports following the failed underwear bomb attack on Christmas Day in 2009 when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab concealed plastic explosives in his underwear on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. This incident prompted concerns over privacy and led to subsequent changes in airport security procedures.
Body Scanners and Privacy
Fortunately, he was subdued by passengers who were also able to extinguish the fire he had ignited while attempting to detonate the explosives. However, the issue with the new body scanners introduced after this incident was that they showed everything, and I mean absolutely everything.
These scanners utilized backscatter technology to create a detailed image of the traveler, leaving no details concealed. This disclosure of personal information and intimacy raised concerns regarding privacy and sparked discussions about the balance between security and personal freedoms at airports worldwide.
Kontroverse um Ganzkörperscanner
At that time, allegedly a total of 174 scanners were in use at 30 US airports, and they all displayed a complete X-ray image of each passenger, perceived as “naked.” In the UK, full-body scanners were deployed at 10 of the largest airports in 2013.
This technology raised significant privacy concerns and ignited discussions about balancing security and privacy. Concerns about the disclosure of personal information led to debates on how these scanners should be utilized and their impact on travelers and their rights.
Airport Scanners and Privacy
The X-ray technology was referred to by some critics as equivalent to a body search and considered too intrusive. The effectiveness of the Rapiscan scanners, each costing $180,000, obviously sparked significant controversy as several people refused to go through them, which was their right.
The resistance was so strong that airports were forced to remove the devices in June 2013. This led to discussions about balancing security and personal integrity, as well as what technologies are acceptable in airport security.
TSA Terminates Contract with Rapiscan
The TSA stated in a release at that time: “Due to the inability to deploy non-imaging Automated Target Recognition (ATR) software by the Congressionally-mandated June 2013 deadline, TSA has terminated part of its contract with Rapiscan.
As of June 2013, travelers will only see machines which have ATR that allow for faster throughput. This decision was made to ensure compliance with Congressional mandates and to enhance efficiency and convenience for travelers.”
Advancements in Airport Security
Nowadays, most travel hubs utilize millimeter-wave scanners that use non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation to assess the traveler in the machine without capturing information about size, weight, height, genitals, or even tampons. Shawna Malvini Redden, PhD, author of “101 Pat-Downs” and a communication researcher who has been studying the TSA since 2010, told Readers Digest,
“Early versions of the scanners came out without privacy safeguards, and Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at the checkpoint could see naked images of passengers as they went through security screening.” The introduction of millimeter-wave scanners marked an improvement in terms of privacy and alleviated concerns regarding travelers’ privacy.
Privacy and Security in Focus
Current scanners are designed to generate generic body images instead of individual ones when screening passengers. Millimeter-wave imaging technology does not capture objects inside the body nor does it penetrate the skin.
So, you can rest assured that security personnel won’t see details of your body structure during your next trip. Instead, look forward to the thought of the cocktail you’ll enjoy shortly after visiting the duty-free shop. These advancements in airport security ensure privacy and comfort for travelers while maintaining security.
