TSA body scans and "new pat downs"

[Karma]

The backlash is growing against these latest developments in the TSA security measures. Civil liberty & and privacy advocates groups, along with two large pilot unions are among those leading the growing outcry.

What do you think about these body image scans and the new pat down methods?

I am very much dismayed at the body image scan. I've seen several articles and images of whats involved and what it looks like and aside from the radiation exposure (which i suppose would be no worse than getting an x-ray for those who do not travel frequently) there's no clear answer YET on what is done with those images, which literally leave you looking BEYOND nude to those viewing you in the scanner.

The pat downs...yes they are much more invasive, but i think i could tolerate that rather than the scanner. but with so many horror stories about TSA agents abusing their authority and overstepping their bounds, Im concerned aout that too.

SO FAR Ive had a relatively easy time getting through security at airports, i travel prepared for that. the only time i had an issue was with a man at the airport in ATL georgia who wanted to give me a hard time about my ID (which made no sense because everything matched). he seemed to just be out to make life difficult for everyone he got to scrutinize.

of course i want to be safe when i fly, but how far is this going to go? and do they really screen some of these people that they end up hiring as TSA agents?

 

[Black King]

why you have to understand the reasoning behind using them, the machines are down right creepy. I can understand wanting to catch the next shoe, underwear, or whatever bomber these new X-rays setups seem to be invading my privacy a bit too much. though i still prefer them to pat downs. Hated them in high school, hate them at the airport

 

[Archon]

I wonder why we can't just combine the current metal ditectors with the current chemical swabs. Neither are invasive and all the bases are covered. I've been swabbed a fcouple of times and it just takes a few seconds, certainly no longer than a "thorough" pat down.
I'm with you on this one Jill, I don't like the direction this is going.

 

[Persephone]

I actually saw a segment of this on the news and they showed pictures of the pat downs that they're currently doing...and i'm sorry, but that's WAY beyond what anyone should be doing as far as pat downs. This one man was being checked and the security officer was basically groping his genitals and running his fingers along the crack of his ass. I mean, common. I understand there was an underwear bomber, but that goes far and beyond what an airport security officer should be doing. And how exactly is this not traumatizing for a young child if they have to go through something as evasive as that? And will it ever get to the point where a terrorist shoves explosive materials up their rectum and it is then decided full cavity searches are necessary??

I want to be safe just as much as the next person, but I would much prefer the body image scanner. True it's a little weird knowing they are literally seeing you naked, but I think it's far less evasive as the full body pat down. BUT on the flip side, where is the line between safety and child pornography. Because if a kid goes through that scanner they're completely exposed as well.

I think both are skating a pretty fine line.

 

[Karma]

this is what happens when people BLINDLY trust someone who says "i'll decide what is necessary to keep us safe". the TSA is a joke...if you want to talk about "pork belly spending" (or whatever corny ass term Palin coined to described wastefull gov't spending) the TSA is a prime example. the agents they hire are hardly credible. Many of them have psychological issues or past records!

These body scanning machines...the images can and HAVE been leaked out onto the internet (there was an article about that on associated press earlier this week) so anyone who goes through them could have their images plastered across cyberspace. for the infrequent traveler, i suppose the radiation exposure would be no worse than getting the occasional xray at the doctor's office, but for heavy travelers, what would that do to them?


the new body patdowns are straight up sexual harrassment. period. i agree with sam, how far is THAT going to go? next thing you know we WILL be getting full body cavity searches just to fly on a damn plane.

If the TSA was real with themselves and the rest of us...they'd do what other countries (including the UK and Isreal) do and PROFILE. obviously a 70 year old nun is not going to be a threat, nor is a senior citizen who can barely walk and has to use a wheelchair. NOR is an infant or a small child. there are some people who DO fit the profile of a possible terrorist and those are the ones who should be subjected to these things while the REST OF US go through a NORMAL and SANE security screening.

what's the point of 'watch' or 'no fly' list, if you're going to keep getting more and more invasive with these "security mesures" wasting time on the people who are totally unlikely while someone else who IS still manages to slip through the cracks (underwear bomber?)

Ill be flying near the end of the year...but i may just end up doing a ROAD TRIP to avoid that shit because i'll be damned if some unqualified TSA worker touches ME like that nor am i going to have my nude form on display for every dick, tom and harry pervert watching the monitor.

 

[Archon]

When enough people speak out against this and make enough noise ove this, the TSA will take another look at their policies. I think the .gov will often push people as far as they are willing to be pushed and here we are seeing people say, "That's far enough!"

 

[Rampage]

Exactly Archon.

The key will be when a sizable number of people cancel tickets or decline to fly due to these measures. THEN it will change. Or when someone sues for their kid having been touched under our more stringent child abuse laws.