Libertarians, Privacy Advocates Unite To Fight Body Scanners
January 6, 2011
| 3:26 PM
A wide swath of civil rights activists, consumer advocates, Libertarians and security analysts blasted the now-infamous airport body scanners at a conference organized by the Electronic Privacy Information Center Thursday.
The diverse group of policy leaders and advocates argued that the controversial airport security devices are at a minimum pointless and ineffective and, at the worst, dangerously intrusive.
Well-known consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader called the Transportation Security Administration's decision to use the body scanners a "fundamentally irrational strategy" based on reactionary tendencies and fueled by corporate and political pressures.
Other panelists agreed, calling on Congress to cut funding for the scanners that "see" through passengers' clothing and produce images of their bodies.
"When Libertarians and Ralph Nader agree that a program is bad, it's time for the government to listen up," said Wes Benedict, executive director of the Libertarian Party's National Committee. "Government is supposed to protect our rights, not take them away. When is enough enough?"
Several security professionals urged the TSA to focus on more effective security measures -- many less technology based -- that have been proven to work, including basic detection of guns and bombs, behavioral profiling, and bomb-detection dogs.
Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, two changes -- strengthening cockpit doors and convincing passengers to fight back -- have increased air travel safety, said Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer at the security company BT Counterpane. "Pretty much everything else is security theater."
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