Fly Naked

This image is from here which recently ran an article on Virtual Strip Search (backscatter) technology. A student brought this to my attention in a research paper, though x-ray searches have gone on since 9/11 in airports and even longer, so the articles say, in prisons.

The controversies surrounding this range from invasion of privacy to invasive technology, from kiddie "porn" to physical side effects. I've seen this in sci-fi movies for decades, and until I really thought about it, the whole thing seemed pretty cool.

My biology buddy even tells me the technology can detect drug running mules, seeing actually inside the body! Talk about invasive! I might not want my breast implants, colostomy bag, penile extensions, dirty laundry, etc. to be viewed by anyone w/o my express, immediate and intimate interest in them. I might not want my kids' neked images bandied about.

Thanks to terrorism scares, the Patriot Act, and the sheep that bleat consent at every legislative gesture, these days the technology is coming into the common place. My kids won't even balk at it, much like I don't think twice about being known by my social security number (something my father thought was a mark of the beast!)

I never knew I was so conservative until I started paying attention to just how many things are legislated for us, taken for granted. Privacy is no longer good form.

I think next time I fly I will cover myself in aluminum foil before going to the airport, you know, under my clothes, just to see what happens.