I’m all for airport safety and the fight against terrorism, but it concerns me a bit when airports are now forcing everyone to submit to a full-body scan when they pass through airport security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently purchased about 450 full-body scanners that cost between $130,000 - $170,000. These devices are appearing in dozens of airports all over the country for the past year or two now. Texas will be receiving full-body scanners in 7 of their airports and will be among around 30 airports in the country to force travelers to subject themselves to an all-intrusive body scan.

My guess is that the underwear bomber from Christmas 2009 gave everyone a pretty big scare about airport safety and security. As you may already know, on Christmas Day last year there was a terrorist that tried to blow up a Detroit flight using a homemade bomb wrapped around his underwear.  His luggage had been cleared through the x-ray machines, but there was no way to know exactly what was on his body without a formal pat-down or, you guessed it, the pervy full-body scanner. The scanner can see the surface of your body without removing your clothes or having any human contact at all. Yes, that means they will see your breasts, penises, and everything else with that amazing scanner.

While this will undoubtedly improve airport security, what is the cost of this? Our privacy is the cost of this government plan. I can easily see some pervy airport security officer taking advantage of this sophisticated system of voyeurism. These full-body scanners are a peeping Tom’s dream. I know most personnel will not do this, but there are always a few bad apples that ruin it for the bunch. They say the images of your body will deleted immediately after you pass through, but who knows what a few clicks on the computer’s menus can do? I know how to press one button on my keyboard to take a snapshot of whatever I see on my screen. What if some creepy security officer thinks a particular woman who just passed through the scanner is attractive and copies his computer screen so that he can email to his buddies?

I just hope we still have the alternative option of getting a good ol’ fashioned pat down because I know for a fact the security guard won’t remember me after a short while.

What are your thoughts on these full-body scanners? Would you mind having someone seeing what you look like under your clothes? Do you trust that they will delete the images right after?