back to article Privacy group sues DoJ over 'digital strip search' data

A privacy group has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Justice for allegedly failing to disclose information about the use of devices that capture black 'n' white images of people stripped naked. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) brought the suit against the DoJ in the US District Court of Columbia …

COMMENTS

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  1. Robert E A Harvey
    WTF?

    Schiphol

    They have these at Amsterdam airport. Every time I am scanned I ask to see my image, and every time I am refused "because of privacy".

  2. JohnG
    Joke

    I'll sue your ass, if you've seen my ass

    Hugh Jass, Attorney at Law

  3. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    I'm sure there will be soon be pics....

    ...floating around the 'chans.

  4. Rippy
    Coat

    What's The Fuss?

    Body modesty has always been about behaviour in a potentially courting situation, and just plain doesn't apply here.

    Perhaps a sop to the prissy would be to staff these devices only with certified eunuchs? Before you giggle too much, there's a fair supply of older, functional eunuchs from subjects of radical prostatectomy, older guys who sacrificed their manhood rather than die of cancer.

    G.

    1. Kevin Johnston

      Alternatively

      If they are seeing images of you naked then perhaps they should be naked (and visible) in order to install or run it. If they feel that is offensive then they are on the way to realising what it is like for the people who get processed through them without a choice

  5. Fred 1

    Airport Insecurity

    A girl I knew worked as a security guard at Gatwick.

    She claimed that they would pick out sexy looking people and ask their colleagues to search them.

    Especially that girl walking through the airport in the bikini top.

    Clearly she had plenty to hide.

    With staff of this calibre on the job, I think we can rest safely in the knowledge that these images will be treated with the utmost propriety.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Y-A-W-N

    Stay home if you're worried about security scanners.

    1. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge
      Alert

      J-A-I-L

      Staying home for a Federal Court appearance is not the best of ideas.

  7. MinionZero
    Big Brother

    Who watches the watchers?...

    The way technology is advancing so fast these days, the world we live in, is starting to look surreal and ever more Orwellian.

    I wonder if it can be adapted and enhanced enough to see through walls?

    Then it could be just like the film V for Vendetta, where they drive detector vans around, scanning through walls to find domestic extremists.

    I want to know who watches the watchers?

    1. Ben Tasker
      Paris Hilton

      As pointed out in Enemy of the State

      Who will watch the watchers of the watchers?

      Old film, I know

      Paris, because we all love to watch!

  8. Juiceman
    FAIL

    Won't someone think of the kids?

    Just wait until some blurry pic of an adolescent makes it onto the internet. Instant outrage. Until then, meh, people are sheep.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    What kind of moron are you?

    >>>Body modesty has always been about behaviour in a potentially courting situation, and just plain doesn't apply here.

    If you used your brain - and I'm not suggesting you have one - you'd figure out that this is just the same as being arrested "just in case you did something".

  10. Mike Shepherd
    Alert

    How much radiation\

    How much radiation is involved?

  11. JaitcH
    Troll

    A new use for protectors/jock straps

    After procuring a jock strap and a suitably sized insert (from a sports store) carefully mold some very thin lead around the plastic cup OR, as an alternative several layers of heavy aluminium foil.

    This will foil those millimetre skin scanners.

    Artistically capable people could use their talents and imagination to 'enhance' the images of their jewels.

    I thought pornography was illegal?

  12. Eddy Ito
    Alien

    No comment

    "The DoJ could not immediately be reached for comment at time of writing."

    Of course not, they're too busy tossing one off to pictures of, 'what is that? a vagenis, penina? Damn, we need better pix, somebody call darpa! We don't know if this is an inny, an outie or a roast beef on rye.'

  13. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Joke

    Now if those images are of children

    It's paedogeddon!

    1. TimeMaster T
      Megaphone

      Actually

      This raises an excellent point.

      If a child is put through one of these scanners the resulting image could be considered child pornorgraphy, and likely would be if a lawsuit was brought by someone. Or if someone had a few of those images on their bedside table along with lube during a police search.

      You seriously think a jury would blow a chance to stop the TSA from taking pictures of THEM when they traveled?

      And if the Feds say that children would not be scanned then you can bet that they would become the new "mules" to carry stuff past security.

  14. heyrick Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    Isn't this pornography?

    Surely existing laws relating to pornographic material would apply? Or is this yet another in a boringly low list of things where so-called security stomps upon privacy?

    After all - if you're stripped naked then you have probaby been fairly well searched, as have your clothes and personal effects. So WTF is the photo for?

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    What a waste of money!

    I'd happily walk through the airport naked if it meant I could turn up just before the gate closes and just walk onto the plane... All this security malarky makes the whole experience of flying very tedious. Ship your baggage freight and do away with the scanners all together...

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