In the CBS News article, "Airport Body Scanners: Less Invasive Technology is Out There," a scanning technology called "automatic target recognition" is introduced. Instead of using the full-body digital x-ray machines, which expose the body to radiation and produce detailed body images, automatic target recognition minimizes radiation exposure and produces only a stick figure body image.
Many people today are concerned with exposing their bodies to unnecessary radiation, and even more are concerned about their lack of privacy during the current method of x-ray imaging. There have been countless debates, and even a plan for "National Opt-Out Day," (warning: link contains body image sample), which will be held on November 24, which encourages people traveling on that day to exercise their right to "opt-out" of going through a full-body machine and receiving an "enhanced pat-down" instead.
Last April, three Senators wrote a letter to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requesting automatic target recognition; however, the software is currently being tested before any changes can be made. The TSA explains that although automatic target recognition does not meet the TSA detection standards at this time, it may be used in the future.
Where do you think the TSA is headed with body imaging? Do you think a more private and safe technology like automatic target recognition will ever be introduced, or will the TSA continue on the path of invading privacy to maintain security?
my first response to all these changes is that i want to be safe on an airplane. not everyone in the world is a good person. now do i want types of radiation blasted at my body and detailed pictures posted up on a screen either-well no, but ultimately I want to be safe.
ReplyDeletei have seen alot about this lately on the news and on different webpages but until recently i hadnt' heard too much about it. i am not a frequently flyer but what i do remember is that i walked through something that resembled a metal detector, i was patted down on my sides and around my waist and legs and then my carry on was run through a machine that allowed them to see what was in it. Again the bigger picture is safety.
To answer Jessica's question I do think that TSA will find a better way to check people that doesn't quite invade people privacy so much. give it time-they will come through.
I was talking about this at work the other day, and my coworker mentioned this article
ReplyDeletehttp://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20023820-71.html
Basically a comedian managed to get through a full body scanner earlier this year with two 12 inch razor blades on him. He walked through the x-ray just fine and was have been allowed on the plan. Yikes.
I imagine TSA will continue to escalate their security measures to ensure this does not happen again? I worry for those who travel on a weekly or more basis, as they will be subject to way too much radiation from these scanners.
For those of you who teach in schools, have you noticed an increase in security in your schools recently? I'm curious if school systems are still using metal detectors to screen students each day. I hope no one gets away with bringing foot long razor blades into your classrooms!
I think it’s imperative to be concerned about one’s health and well-being, but sometimes I feel people can over-react to media buzz. For example, the Media can put out a headline, “Are airport scanners safe?” And everyone goes around talking about the new scanners at the airports that are going to give cause cancer, when they don’t necessarily have all the facts.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to further research the safety aspect of this debate as I was curious to know how much radiation is actually safe for humans to be exposed to. I was able to find an article, “Debating the danger: Are airport scanners safe?” A chief physicist from John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore concluded that the radiation that the scanners produce are indeed safe. He says, “it would require about 2 billion scans to create a single case of cancer…the scanners produce a minuscule amount of radiation.” Another radiation and medicine associate professor at John Hopkins University, Mahadevappa Mahesh, said, “when you look at these doses, they are so negligible, it is like 20 or 30 minutes of walking in the sun. A business traveler would have to undergo four backscatter scans a day, 365 days a year, to experience the same amount of radiation as a single chest X-ray.”
I agree that TSA is going to continue to look for better ways that are safe, efficient, and provide privacy to travelers. They have a lot of federal standards they have to follow, so I find it highly unlikely that they would just start putting cancer causing machines that invade privacy in airports.
Link to the article:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/debating-the-danger-are-airport-scanners-safe-1067942.html?showComments=true
I think the issue is more of a health related question than a privacy one. Of course, this is an issue that will be relative to each individual situation. It is less likely that a body builder or athlete in tip-top shape will be as concerned with the full body imaging machine than a person who has been deemed "overweight". However, the health side of things has the opportunity to affect either individual equally.
ReplyDeleteAlso, these machines and recent increase in security has seemed to detour threats at airports. However, if a legit threat was found and prevented from happening then no one would have a problem. They would be thankful for these invasions of privacy. I do believe the TSA will adopt the new targeted way once it has proven to meet their standards.
I agree with Brandon, believing people should be drastically more concerned with being exposed to unnecessary radiation versus their lack of privacy during the current x-ray imaging process. As he said, regardless of shape and size, health and safety should the number one priority of concern for those traveling and for people in general--no one is singled-out in this process due to their muscle mass, lack there of, or how they are physically perceived
ReplyDeleteWhatever processes and precautions need to be taken to keep travelers and airports safe should be taken without concern for privacy in my opinion. Who wouldn't want to be assured of their safety and/or saved from a threatening situation? Assessing the issue of exposure to radiation, however, deserves attention and concern. Thus, once all testing and piloting has been completed and standards have been met with TSA's automatic target recognition, I definitely think this procedure will be implemented in the future, and replace current x-ray imaging. Fortunately, this addresses both the concerns of exposure to radiation and lack of privacy.
Also, although this scanning technology may take longer to perfect and enter the rollout stages, what is important is that this new technology provides the same security and protection as the current scanning technology, if not greater security and protection than what already exists.