Now what do you think of whole-body scanners in airports?

We’ve been hearing a lot about the new whole-body scanners the TSA would like to deploy at airports. These machines can display detailed images of travelers’ naked bodies. Amid the usual cries of “If you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to fear,” we’ve seen proponents of the new scanning technology claim that: 1) filtering software will be in place so that “sensitive” body parts and identifying details will be obscured; 2) the machines will not be able to save or download images; and 3) the machines will not be connected to the internet. Sounds good, right?

Too bad it isn’t true. The Electronic Privacy Information Center has just posted documents it received from the TSA in an FOIA lawsuit. The machines can record, store, and transmit digital strip search images of Americans. Furthermore, the TSA has mandated that the devices have hard disk storage, USB access, and ethernet connectivity, and has created “Level Z” access that will allow agents to disable the privacy filters. (See EPIC’s website for more information.)

And as if that weren’t enough, our former Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff, who has been an avid proponent of the machines, consults for Rapiscan, the company that makes the machines.

Any new thoughts on this technology and its applications?