New body scanners do not blur privates
Ferry Online Travel News 20/10/2008
Domestic passengers at Melbourne Airport will be asked to volunteer for a trial of new body scanners.
According to a report in The Age, the scanners that are being introduced on a trial basis by transport security at the Melbourne Airport can “see” through clothing.
Known as an ‘X-ray backscatter’ body scanner, critics say that the machine conducts a “virtual strip search.”
A low energy X-ray is emitted by the scanner, which reveals metals and other objects that a person might have hidden under their clothing – and it reveals body features as well.
Passing through the new scanners is voluntary during the trial period, which will last for six weeks, and will help security officials determine how the machine impacts the flow of passengers through the security process.
"It does see through clothing, but it's not a photographic image, it's a low-energy X-ray that reflects off the skin," noted the general manager of the Office of Transport Security, Cheryl Johnson.
"It will show the private parts of people, but what we've decided is that we're not going to blur those out, because it severely limits the detection capabilities."
She added: "It is possible to see genitals and breasts while they're going through the machine, though."
The security manager assured the public that measures were in place to protect the privacy of passengers. "The faces are automatically blurred and ... it's only a chalk-style outline, it's not as invasive as some of the other equipment that we've got," she said.
← French strike cancels Channel ferry services | Index | Top award to Crystal Cruises from Conde Nast readers →