I saw a NYT article this morning describing new airport security technology: passenger x-ray machines.
X-ray vision has come to the airport checkpoint here, courtesy of federal aviation security officials who have installed a new device that peeks underneath passengers’ clothing to search for guns, bombs or liquid explosives.
This creepy new technology can let TSA employees do a virtual strip-search. It actually looks very impressive, giving an outline of the passenger’s skin. And I guess I find it fascinating. But, and I repeat. I also find it creepy. And unsettling.
Anyhow, this news story reminds me of a number of things. So here. Have a list:
- Superman (eg. 1978). He had x-ray vision. Could look through Lois Lane’s clothes to see her undies.
- Total Recall (1990). Shows security screening of the future with people walking along through full-body x-rays. We get to see skeletal structure in this movie, though. Not skin.
- The image the article shows looks a little like a 3D ultrasound. (Though the technology is totally different.)
- And I’m reminded of the airport security game (Hat-tip to Schneier, who has lots of interesting things to say about the games we play relating to “security.”) This game lets you play an airport security employee, screening passengers and their bags as they try to pass through security. Your task is to keep up with the ever-changing, and frequently random, restrictions on items that passengers may have on their person or in their carry-on bags as they pass through. For example, sometimes passengers are not allowed to wear their shoes as go through the security gate. And sometimes they are not allowed to be wearing pants.
collecting tokens 
ugh. this
Basically, I’m not a big fan of the government knowing everything about me. That includes what kind of shape I’m in.
just trying to keep the lines longer
ohh thats lil akward … they r being very cautious
I also wrote about this topic and the one that “puck” mentioned.
See it here.
I think the government have gone TOO far with this.
Be very worried when a dhs employee trues to sell you the V***gra drug or variant.
puck-
Thanks for the link. Ugh, indeed.
iwanttofitin-
I hear you. It does seem a bit of a Big Brother/Peepshow combo.
Liew-
Yes, lines. It does feel a bit like another means of controlling the masses.
bluchip-
The situation is awkward, yes. As for “them” being “cautious”? Hmm. I might go for “overdoing the paranoia in a theatrical and disturbingly invasive way.”
chazzle-
Yes, I’d agree things are going to far. Thanks for sharing your link and thoughts.
bananasfk-
Yes, I’d be worried on a number of counts.
Schneier’s blog is not the only great material available from him. I’d heartily recommend his book Beyond Fear for anybody who’s interested in exploring exactly why this technology is little more than security “theatre”.
Screening passengers to retain high security at the airport works if the airport area itself is secure. This recent picture of Mumbai Airport shows that the airport landing strips are accessible to casual onlookers. This beats the whole purpose of passenger screenings at the gates.
looks like your post is close to reality – dont like the idea.
http://objectiveassoc.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/thongs-x-ray-specs-and-airport-security/