So airport security has always been a problem worldwide, especially with numerous completed and attempted terrorist attacks happening over the past few years. Gordon Brown went another step with airport security, when he gave the go-ahead for full body scanners in all UK airports. Now I've always been a bit dubious about a 'strip search' here and there, but with these new scanners whoever sees these images gets a "virtual strip search" of anyone in the scanner. These new safety measures were introduced in December 2009, and as such have received various criticism for their lack of privacy to anyone inside, yet a Department of Transport spokesperson claimed that, "Existing safeguards also mean those operating scanners are separated from the device, so unable to see the person to whom the image relates, and these anonymous images are deleted immediately." These safeguards apparently aren't enough though, as some concerns were raised about the scanners breaking child porn laws, a Department of Transport spokesperson confirmed that these problems are among, "legal and operational issues" of the 80,000 pound scanners which are to be "gradually" introduced into airports across the UK, said in an announcement by Gordon Brown himself. Now whether these new full body scanners are better than previous methods of searching travelers or not I really don't know, would you rather have a 'pseudo image' of you on an airport computer, or be strip searched by some burly man in a back room? Most people would go for the picture, and with a Department of Transport spokesperson claiming that these images are deleted immediately and seen privately by single members of staff, I'm not so worried, though we can only hope that as always, this new power isn't abused by those that hold it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jan/03/brown-airport-security-full-body-scanners
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