Airport Security: Naked Body Scanners And Your Privacy

Airport body scanners have been a topic of concern for travellers, with many wondering if these machines reveal their naked bodies to security personnel. While older machines used in the US between 2009 and 2013, known as backscatter scanners, produced detailed nude images, these have since been replaced due to privacy and health concerns. Today's scanners use millimetre wave technology, which generates a generic avatar-like image, ensuring privacy while maintaining security. While these new scanners do not reveal your naked body, they can detect items on the skin or inside clothing, and thick hair, hair clips, piercings, underwire bras, and sweat may trigger alarms.

Body scanners use Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) to detect threats

Millimetre wave imaging is complicated, but the basic idea is that the machines send millimetre waves toward a passenger's insides. The waves go through clothing and reflect off the passenger's skin and whatever else is concealed, bouncing back an image which is interpreted by the machine. If the electromagnetic waves hit something suspicious, a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) will investigate further. If not, the passenger can pass through the security checkpoint without a pat-down or other physical contact.

AIT provides a nondescript avatar image of the human anatomy. Images reveal items that might be on the skin or inside clothing. This generic human form, which looks like a gingerbread man or paper doll, is used to ensure passenger privacy while maintaining security effectiveness. With millimetre wave machines that have privacy software installed, TSOs are only seeing this outline with a green 'clear' or red 'stop and check' signal. If someone has something in their pockets, for instance, the machine will put an alarm note in the paper doll's groin region so the officer knows generally where to search. Passengers can see the viewing monitor throughout the process.

The older machines, which used backscatter technology, were removed from all airports in 2013. Today's millimetre wave machines don't see nipples or genitalia, and they do not pick up size, weight or height. They are supposed to generate generic images of a body instead of the passenger's unique image. It's just the outline of a body with a box representing the area where the scanner picked up something. In fact, according to the TSA, if there is no alarm, officers don't see anything at all—simply a screen reading 'OK'.

Scanners produce a generic avatar image of the human anatomy

The generic avatar is used to ensure passenger privacy while maintaining security effectiveness. If the scan picks up on something suspicious, the operator will see a marker on the generic body outline, indicating where a physical search may be needed. For example, if someone has something in their pockets, the machine will put an alarm note in the groin region of the avatar, prompting the officer to search that area.

The use of generic avatars is a more recent development in airport security. Between 2009 and 2013, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the US used Rapiscan backscatter machines, which produced very detailed images of passengers' bodies. These machines used X-rays to reflect off organic material and form an image, essentially creating a nude photograph. After much public outcry, these machines were replaced with the current system, which prioritises passenger privacy.

It is important to note that, while the generic avatar system protects privacy, it is not without its issues. The machines are set to alert the operator if the body being scanned does not match the pre-set "male" and "female" standards, which are based on a cis, non-disabled, white image of a "standard human body". This can lead to invasive searches for individuals who do not conform to these standards, including transgender and disabled people.

Scanners are safe and emit non-ionizing radiation

Scanners used in airport security have been a topic of concern for travellers, especially regarding the safety of the radiation they emit. However, it is important to understand that these scanners emit non-ionizing radiation, which is significantly different from the ionizing radiation associated with medical X-rays. Non-ionizing radiation, such as that produced by metal detectors and millimeter wave machines, has insufficient energy to remove electrons from atoms. Instead, it can only move atoms in a molecule around or cause them to vibrate.

Millimeter wave machines, which are commonly used in airport security, fall under the category of non-ionizing radiation emitters. These machines use low-energy radio waves to scan a person's body, generating a 3D image that is sent to a remote monitor. This technology does not use X-rays and does not contribute to an individual's ionizing radiation dose. In fact, the amount of radiation emitted by these scanners is thousands of times less than that of a cell phone, making it extremely safe for travellers.

The safety of these scanners has been further confirmed by experts such as Dr. Lewis Nelson, a professor and chair of emergency medicine. He asserts that while ionizing radiation in high doses can indeed be harmful, the dose received from airport scanners is far too low to cause any bodily harm. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to set standards for machines that produce radiation, ensuring that millimeter-wave security screening systems are safe for use.

Furthermore, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has implemented measures to protect passenger privacy. Older machines that used backscatter technology and produced detailed images of passengers' bodies have been replaced. Today's millimeter wave machines generate generic body outlines, ensuring that the privacy of passengers is maintained. Passengers can also see the monitor displaying the scanned images, providing transparency during the security process.

In conclusion, airport security scanners that emit non-ionizing radiation, such as millimeter wave machines, are safe for travellers. The amount of radiation emitted by these machines is extremely low and regulated by authorities like the FDA. Additionally, measures are in place to protect passenger privacy, ensuring that the security procedures are not violating anyone's privacy rights.

Scanners do not see inside the body

Airport body scanners use a technology called Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) for full-body scans at checkpoints. It is a millimetre-wave scanner that detects a wide range of metallic and non-metallic threats within seconds. The machines send millimetre waves towards a passenger's insides, which reflect off the skin and bounce back an image. This image is then interpreted by the machine.

The body scanners provide a nondescript avatar image of the human anatomy. Images reveal items that might be on the skin or inside clothing. This generic human form looks like a gingerbread man or paper doll and is used to ensure passenger privacy while maintaining security effectiveness. The machine will put an alarm note on the paper doll image, so the officer knows where to search if something is detected. Passengers can see the viewing monitor throughout the process.

The body scanners cannot see anything inside the body, including tampons or any other items. The millimetre-wave imaging technology does not detect items inside a passenger's body or penetrate the skin.

Scanners cannot be used to profile based on race, gender, etc

Scanners used at airport security cannot be used to profile based on race, gender, or other characteristics. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the US has implemented measures to ensure passenger privacy. The scanners used by the TSA are millimeter wave machines that produce a generic, cartoon-like outline of the human body. If a potential threat is detected, it will appear on the screen with this outline to show its location. The machine does not pick up size, weight, height, race, or gender.

The previous machines used by the TSA, known as backscatter scanners, produced detailed images of passengers' bodies, leading to privacy concerns and eventually being replaced in 2013. The current machines use millimeter wave imaging, a type of non-ionizing radiation, to scan passengers. This type of radiation is considered safer than the ionizing radiation used in backscatter scanners.

While the millimeter wave machines do not generate images that could be used for profiling, there are still concerns about the potential for profiling in the broader airport security process. Some critics argue that the use of full-body scanners is equivalent to a strip search and violates basic human rights, particularly for minority groups. For example, transgender passengers have reported that full-body scanners have falsely raised alarms based on their anatomy. Additionally, there have been reports of profiling based on race and religion, with certain groups being singled out for additional screening.

In response to these concerns, the TSA has stated that passengers can opt for a traditional pat-down instead of going through the full-body scanner. However, some travelers have complained that the pat-downs can be invasive and embarrassing, particularly for those with medical conditions or prosthetics. Overall, while the scanners themselves may not facilitate profiling, the broader airport security process has been criticized for its potential to profile and invade privacy.

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