Do Airport Body Scanners Perform a Virtual Strip Search?

Gordon Brown Promises Full Body Scanners in UK Airports- Backup Video

Privacy campaigners have complained that the new body scanners effectively perform a virtual strip search.

Strict UK child protection legislation bans the creation of indecent images of children and this is relsulting in under 18s being exempt from body scans. Other civil liberties groups have called for safeguards to ensure that images derived from the new full body scanners don’t end up published on the internet or elsewhere.

At the beginning of January 2010 a trial of the new body scanning technology was commenced at Manchester airport.The body scanner triall only started after under 18s were exempted from the security check.

Concerns have been raised in the United States where similar systems are in use and images are required to be immediately deleted. Concerns have been raised regarding the images of celebrities or those with unusual features being shared amongst airport security staff.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said that new scanning devices risked breaching an individual’s right to privacy under the Human rights act. In response to these fears the UK Department of Transport has said that they were developing a staff code of practice for those using the new body scanning technology.

The alleged terrorist action to blow up an American aircraft on December 25th has led to a rush to introduce the new technology at all British airports. Some have said that there is only around a 50 to 60% chance that the device carried by this alleged terrorist would have been detected by the new scanning technology.

Many groups interested in privacy and civil liberties have raised concerns over the introduction of the new technology.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

When flying from a Scottish airport be certain to save on Edinburgh airport parking, Glasgow airport parking and Aberdeen airport parking by booking in advance.