Airport “Naked” Scanners Upgraded to Anonymize Your Nether-regions

Full Body "Naked" Airport Scanners Get Privacy Upgrade

Vagabondish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read our disclosure.

I think most people would agree that the latest installation of full body (read: naked) airport scanners are … well … icky. Privacy concerns are legion.

Good news, shy travelers! Gizmodo is reporting that these scanners are getting a privacy upgrade:

Now L-3 and Rapiscan’s machines, often used by the TSA, are implementing a software upgrade that takes the raw data from the scanner and displays it as a generic human-formed figure on the monitor of the TSA agent. As such when you stand in front of the viewing system, your own body parts aren’t subject to ogling. The software merely highlights regions of “interest” on the body where its pattern recognition code has calculated you may be hiding something””ready for a more traditional pat-down.

It still doesn’t solve the lingering privacy concerns of the TSA saving and/or archiving these images. But I’d say it’s a start.

Founding Editor
  1. A few years ago I’ve heard a story that after installing such “nude” scanner in London airport – the staff behind monitors was changing every 6 months. I mea if you think about it – it’s hard… you see all sorts of naked people.. and most of them (I’d say 99%) it’s not your average super-fit model-type female. And you HAVE to pay close attention.

  2. Now all the diabetics are going to have to prove that their insulin pumps aren’t bombs. Think about it.

  3. These scanners are pretty intense. Next they’re be x-raying you to see what’s inside your stomach. I’m all for security but privacy is important. Hopefully technology will develop further so we don’t have to go through all of this in the future.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let's Make Sure You're Human ... * Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.

Subscribe to Our 'Under the Radar' Newsletter
If you love travel, you're gonna love this!