Will Airport Scanners Give You Cancer, Or Just Humiliate You?

Hope you've been getting into shape, because the new full body security scanners will debut at LaGaurdia and JFK airports in the coming weeks, a TSA spokesperson promises. Despite lawsuits raising privacy and health concerns, NYC will finally get the scanners, which have been popping up in airports nationwide. The Daily News reports that LaGuardia and JFK will be using the "backscatter" type of full body scanner, which uses low-level radiation to let TSA workers "see" through your clothes (but not through your flying pasties). Sure, it's creepy, but is it safe?

The Electronic Privacy Information Center [EPIC], which is suing to stop the rise of the machines, claims these scanners "use high-energy X-rays that are more likely to scatter than penetrate materials as compared to lower-energy X-rays used in medical applications. Although this type of X-ray is said to be harmless, it can move through other materials, such as clothing... The image resolution of the technology is high, so the picture of the body presented to screeners is detailed enough to show genitalia."

Experts say the machines are harmless, but experts are always saying that about the machines, aren't they? All the same, you can't argue with the director of cardiac CT research at Columbia University Medical Center, because the guy's name is Einstein. "A passenger would need to be scanned using a backscatter scanner, from both the front and the back, about 200,000 times to receive the amount of radiation equal to one typical CT scan," Einstein tells Business Week. "A pregnant woman will receive much more radiation from cosmic rays she is exposed to while flying than from passing through a scanner in the airport." Whatever you say, Einstein!

But if you're still unconvinced and want to avoid the X-rays, you'll want to book your flights out of Newark, which is getting the "millimeter wave" scanners that use radio waves. These are more discreet as well; they only show a demure silhouette of a passenger in 3-D. Nevertheless, Ginger McCall at Epic says both scanners "are pretty graphic. Both are unacceptable." At NYC airports, fliers will be chosen at random to pass through them, and those that refuse will be given a pat-down. Meanwhile, in Italy, after six months of testing, they gave up on the scanners, because they take too long. "It does take a longer time, no question about that," said one spokesman for a travelers' advocacy group back in August.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 19, 2010 4:42 PM

Comments [rss]

Sulayman

This is such a waste of time. Don't luggage X-ray scanners only pick up less than 30% of all weapons to begin with? (even when airports are informed that they should expect a test by undercover TSA) Why spend millions of dollars on something theatrical like a body X-ray scanner when we have that gaping and obvious hole?

pissflaps

sometimes a girls butt will look so fine in jeans, but once you get them off... kapow, you are face to face with "bad naked butt"

Sulayman

"about 200,000 times to receive the amount of radiation equal to one typical CT scan"

That's an misleading statistic. A CT scan is more than 100 chest X-rays, its the one with the most radiation. Better to say its like 200 X-rays than 200,000 CT scans.

sirdonut

If a large number of people refuse the scanner, and opt for the pat-down, these things will fail quickly. I pledge to budget extra time, refuse the scanner and go for the grope. Who is with me? If you also pledge to do so, and get your friends and family to pledge to do so as well, we can stop this. Spread the word: Opt out of genital zapping

club44

Does anyone know what that genitalia-shaped object on the illustrated man's shoulder is?

FPI

Most Folks don't even realize that these machines were NEVER tested on people before they were put in the airports!

oh, if people only knew all the facts:

http://www.flyingpasties.com/aiscar.html

here. we listed a few of the more popular articles about these ridiculous machines.

SFNY

Opt out. These things are bad news. The operators probably have no idea which kind of machine it is. Machines break, scanners freeze, calibration slips...

There was a good article last month in the NYT Practical Traveler about how the machines haven't been thoroughly tested, and that the "test" they passed was "developed, in part, by the companies that manufacture them and the government agency that wants to use them." Vested interest, much?

Stewart

How do they know this won't cause birth defects in women who have recently become pregnant?

SFNY

It very well may: the machines haven't been thoroughly tested, and no health studies are scheduled to study the effects short or long term.

Any bets as to whether this turns out to be the next Big Tobacco?

(PS X-rays can cause chromosomal damage in your swimmers or her eggs long before the, um, pool party.)

FunChop

There's a great story from yesterday about a pilot for Expressjet refusing to go through the body scanner and being treated like a terrorist. In my opinion, this guy is much more of a hero that Slater:

http://www.expressjetpilots.com/the-pipe/showthread.php?39523-Well-today-was-the-day

woodendesigner

I can't wait for the stories about some well endowed guy being stopped for a big "package" in his pants. You know that these scanners are going to be more of a cluster-fuck than a safer way of screening people. Definitely have some concerns about being scanned with x-rays. How many times in history have the "experts" been wrong about the effect of something on the general public?

jaycjay

"I can't wait for the stories about some well endowed guy being stopped for a big "package" in his pants"

I know! That's why I plan to always opt out.

JackoPaidOffVictims

They don't want us passengers to know that we are allowed by law to OPT-OUT of these scanners in the USA. You can say it's due to medical reasons, privacy, or just because you don't want to go through it.

You will get a pat-down though. These scanners won't stop the Islamic terrorists, they'll simply find other ways to circumvent the security.

jaycjay

"They don't want us passengers to know that we are allowed by law to OPT-OUT of these scanners in the USA"

Yet, it says right above that that you can opt out. Will John Del Signore's name be put on watch lists for giving their secret away?