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Or rather, after reading the article, some naked-image scanners to be removed, and then promptly replaced with others from a different company. No big news here

by Steuard 14y ago

Or rather, after reading the article, some naked-image scanners to be removed, and then promptly replaced with others from a different company. No big news here, as far as I can tell.

jws 14y ago
The replacement scanners are not backscatter radiation units and they display an icon of a person with a little dot that lights up to highlight where the little icon man has an anomaly.
- Zak 14y ago
  They may do a better job of protecting travelers' privacy than the backscatter units, but they still strike me as being on the wrong side of the same line.
- JshWright 14y ago
  And for all I know, a highly accurate 3D representation of my body is being stored in a database for future identification. I realize that's bordering on tin-foil hat land, but it's why I opt out every time, and will continue to do so...
  - Torgo 14y ago
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html They told us they wouldn't store the images on the previous scanners, but it turns out they were.
    - pyre 14y ago
      The generic government response to criticism of these scanners has been that they aren't stored, but (as far as I know) the only agency that has out-and-out said they aren't storing them is the TSA. In this case (the article), the U.S. Marshals Service was storing the images at a courthouse security checkpoint. 1. Did the U.S. Marshals Service claim that they weren't storing the images prior to this discovery? 2. Do you know of any examples of the TSA storing the images (in opposition to what they have claimed they do)?
      - Strshps1MoreTim 14y ago
        Why exactly do you feel you have to make lame excuses for the government? We live in the information age and information now is the ultimate power. The high level politicians and bureaucrats are clearly maniacs when it comes to power. IMHO there is no doubt that all information that can potentially be used in a power struggle, such as Rapiscan scans, is not destroyed, but stored by some government agency. Those scans can be used to reliably identify tents of millions of people.
        Karunamon 14y ago
        >Why exactly do you feel you have to make lame excuses for the government? Why do you feel the need to base your entire argument on a slippery slope fallacy? Either they are, and proof is required, or they're not. The fact that we're talking about the government does not reverse the burden of proof! >Those scans can be used to reliably identify tents of millions of people. Have you seen the image output from a backscatter machine? While invasive (ostensibly because they include the genitals), they don't show very good detail. Somehow I efficacy of backscatter machines being used for mass identification purposes and the existence of such a program.
        pyre 14y ago
        I'm not making lame excuses for the government. At no point did I say that it was ok for them to store the images. My point was that this statement: They told us they wouldn't store the images on the previous scanners, but it turns out they were. was disingenuous. Saying that 'they lied about storing the images' has no basis in truth here (at least without presenting other evidence that I'm unaware of). I don't know about you, but I don't think that there's any reason to make misleading statements in order to present the case that these images shouldn't be stored.
        Strshps1MoreTim 14y ago
        Right, CIA and NSA never said they are not going to store the images, so it's perfectly fine with you ...
waqf 14y ago
They're getting rid of the machines that expose people (especially TSA workers) to ionizing radiation. That's news, although the headline is misleading.
- UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
  Well the TSA workers still have to worry about their baggage x-ray scanners. There have been scattered reports of them malfunctioning in the past and potentially exposing employees to radiation.
  - sliverstorm 14y ago
    Malfunctioning is one thing, working as designed and still exposing people is another.
rdtsc 14y ago
Looks like the cousin or the college friend of some Congressmen is about ready to start a company that makes "new and improved body scanners".

by Steuard 14y ago

Or rather, after reading the article, some naked-image scanners to be removed, and then promptly replaced with others from a different company. No big news here, as far as I can tell.

jws 14y ago

The replacement scanners are not backscatter radiation units and they display an icon of a person with a little dot that lights up to highlight where the little icon man has an anomaly.

Zak 14y ago
They may do a better job of protecting travelers' privacy than the backscatter units, but they still strike me as being on the wrong side of the same line.
JshWright 14y ago
And for all I know, a highly accurate 3D representation of my body is being stored in a database for future identification. I realize that's bordering on tin-foil hat land, but it's why I opt out every time, and will continue to do so...
- Torgo 14y ago
  http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html They told us they wouldn't store the images on the previous scanners, but it turns out they were.
  - pyre 14y ago
    The generic government response to criticism of these scanners has been that they aren't stored, but (as far as I know) the only agency that has out-and-out said they aren't storing them is the TSA. In this case (the article), the U.S. Marshals Service was storing the images at a courthouse security checkpoint. 1. Did the U.S. Marshals Service claim that they weren't storing the images prior to this discovery? 2. Do you know of any examples of the TSA storing the images (in opposition to what they have claimed they do)?
    - Strshps1MoreTim 14y ago
      Why exactly do you feel you have to make lame excuses for the government? We live in the information age and information now is the ultimate power. The high level politicians and bureaucrats are clearly maniacs when it comes to power. IMHO there is no doubt that all information that can potentially be used in a power struggle, such as Rapiscan scans, is not destroyed, but stored by some government agency. Those scans can be used to reliably identify tents of millions of people.
      - Karunamon 14y ago
        >Why exactly do you feel you have to make lame excuses for the government? Why do you feel the need to base your entire argument on a slippery slope fallacy? Either they are, and proof is required, or they're not. The fact that we're talking about the government does not reverse the burden of proof! >Those scans can be used to reliably identify tents of millions of people. Have you seen the image output from a backscatter machine? While invasive (ostensibly because they include the genitals), they don't show very good detail. Somehow I efficacy of backscatter machines being used for mass identification purposes and the existence of such a program.
      - pyre 14y ago
        I'm not making lame excuses for the government. At no point did I say that it was ok for them to store the images. My point was that this statement: They told us they wouldn't store the images on the previous scanners, but it turns out they were. was disingenuous. Saying that 'they lied about storing the images' has no basis in truth here (at least without presenting other evidence that I'm unaware of). I don't know about you, but I don't think that there's any reason to make misleading statements in order to present the case that these images shouldn't be stored.
        Strshps1MoreTim 14y ago
        Right, CIA and NSA never said they are not going to store the images, so it's perfectly fine with you ...

waqf 14y ago

They're getting rid of the machines that expose people (especially TSA workers) to ionizing radiation. That's news, although the headline is misleading.

UnoriginalGuy 14y ago
Well the TSA workers still have to worry about their baggage x-ray scanners. There have been scattered reports of them malfunctioning in the past and potentially exposing employees to radiation.
- sliverstorm 14y ago
  Malfunctioning is one thing, working as designed and still exposing people is another.

rdtsc 14y ago

Looks like the cousin or the college friend of some Congressmen is about ready to start a company that makes "new and improved body scanners".