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That's not a metal detector, it's a system designed to scan for tagged items. My problem with the scanners is that they are invasive AND ineffective. They aren
by imsofuture 13y ago
That's not a metal detector, it's a system designed to scan for tagged items.
My problem with the scanners is that they are invasive AND ineffective. They aren't protecting me, but they do train me to complacently subject myself as an innocent, not-charged-with-a-crime citizen to pre-emptive searches. That's just not alright by me.
- arnarbi 13y agoI don't like them either, but why are they invasive?
- jellicle 13y agoThey produce naked images of your body, which are stored indefinitely.
- imsofuture 13y agoThey scan my naked body through my clothing. I consider that invasive.
- angersock 13y agoMetal detectors (as memory serves) merely detect a change in inductance due to objects having a metallic composition. It's a purely passive system. By contrast, the full-body scanners bombard you with very mild radiation and capture results, giving the operator a view of your body and whatever you have on your person. It's a good deal more invasive.
- rayiner 13y agoHint: you're constantly bombarded by mild radiation which bounces off you and gives operators a view of your body and what you have on your person. And the current scanners don't give an image, just a "OK" or an outline with a location to check.
- angersock 13y agoMy background is engineering--believe me, I chose the "mild" qualifier to try and avoid "oh noes teh evul radiationz" kneejerk reaction tend to have. It's unfortunate there isn't a less emotionally-charged word to use to describe it. As for the rest, well, just because the operator doesn't see it doesn't mean the image isn't still being taken/saved/consumed down the road.
- potatolicious 13y agoA few reasons: - They actively image your naked body. Metal detectors do not. - They record said image of our naked body for an indefinite amount of time. Metal detectors do not. - A human views the image of your naked body, and makes a subjective assessment of whether or not something suspicious has been detected, based on a wide range of parameters. A metal detector is a simple on/off detection based on an extremely narrow range of parameters. In short, they are invasive because a human is involved. Let's not forget the cases (now rarer) of TSA agents guffawing at each others' penis sizes, or deliberately checking out women in the scanner, etc. My objections against the scanners would be greatly nullified if: - All decision making is made via computer. No human ever sees the image. - All images are immediately discarded. No record of the scan exists except the result. - The parameters of detection are open and transparent. The invasiveness of the scan has less to do with the scan and more to do with the tremendous opportunity for abuse it represents - both at the low level (individual TSA agents) and high level (as a matter of policy).
- xxpor 13y agoThis whole rant hasn't been true for over a year. All it shows now is a generic block body, with an indication of an area to check if the COMPUTER decides it needs to be checked. For the majority of people, it doesn't even show the body. It just flashes "OK" on the screen.
- danielweber 13y agoI managed to completely avoid flying for the whole time when rapiscan scanners were around, despite flying a relatively commonly before that. And I heard many horror stories from people during that time, even people who didn't think the TSA was so bad. I've been flying more in the past few months, and the TSA has always been courteous and professional in those instances. I don't know if something changed or it's all luck of the draw, but things seem much better these days.
- B-Con 13y agoThat only addresses the active display. What about storage? Do we have any official confirmation on that?
- tootie 13y agoSo invasive you'd rather have a guy grab your junk?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- jdavid 13y agoI like how uncomfortable the TSA guy feels about grabbing my junk, because that's how uncomfortable I feel about my constitutional rights being violated. It's a constant reminder to TSA staff that what they are doing is wrong.
- tootie 13y agoThe TSA guy has done it a thousand times and thinks nothing of it.
- imsofuture 13y agoI do that not because I would prefer to be patted down, but because it's a lot more obvious that I'm being subjected to an unreasonable search.
- moheeb 13y agoObvious to who? The people being subjected to the same?