The Police Can See You Naked

[Si Hunt]

X-ray cameras that would "undress" passers-by in a bid to thwart terrorists concealing weapons, could be coming to a street near you, according to reports. Aside from the obvious privacy issues, would such a plan work?

Leaked documents said to have been drawn up by the Home Office and seen by the Sun newspaper say cameras which can see through clothes could be built into lamp posts to "trap terror suspects".

While Home Secretary John Reid has denied knowledge of the plans, the technology is not dissimilar to that already found in some UK airports. Currently, air security officials pick out individuals to stand in a booth while three pictures are taken of the person in slightly different positions.

Within seconds, an X-ray scanner produces an image of the body, minus the clothes. What shows up is the naked human form and anything that may be concealed on the person, such as coins, a gun or drugs.

A one-month trial at London's Paddington rail station involved a millimetre wave scanner. A portable version - an "electronic wand" - was trialled last year at London's Canary Wharf and Greenford Underground stations.

Is this Big Brothering one step too far? Are there health issues to do with firing X-Rays at everyone? Or do you feel you have nothing to hide and that this is a good idea? Would it be worth it to stop a bomb exploding in London?

The police can see you naked! Is this a good thing, or not?

Si.

[Perry Vale]

I suppose it's a good thing that the Police can, it's a question of if they can be trusted? I suppose you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. It's the matter of Rail staff I don't trust. I know of a couple of London Underground employees who have admitted to training the security cameras onto the Oyster machine so that they can see you enter your PIN number!

[Si Hunt]

I don't really care if someone sees me naked (unless they put it on "You've Been Framed"), but the health issue is a bit worrying what with X-Rays being fired around everywhere.

Si.

[Mike Saville]

The Police Can See You Naked

oh, indeed they can. Frequently. I'll even send them the URL and put them on the guest list.

[Larry]

The police can see you naked! Is this a good thing, or not?

Si.

[]

monitering the cameras - nice job if you can get it..

[Paul Monk]

I found this article quite interesting. Its about the health risks of such a scheme.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11...tt_xray_blank/

[Rob McCow]

From Paul's link to The Register:

The consequences of more widespread deployments are far more difficult to quantify. If fixed scanners became sufficiently common for it to be possible to be exposed several times a day, then the risks would climb, and it would be less possible (it's not exactly easy at the moment) for people too know what their cumulative dose was. Concealed scanners would make that impossible, and high dose vehicle and/or concealed scanners would throw the sums out entirely. Reported doses from a cargo scan test in 2001, for example, ranged from 0.1 Sv to 100 Sv, depending on positioning in the compartment. The US annual dose limit set by the NCRP is 1 mSv, excluding exposures from natural background and medical care, while the suggested exposure from a single site is 25 per cent of annual dose, or no single source under one control delivering more than 0.25 mSv annually. It recommends the latter being the one set for security screening such as airport scanners, and that it cover multiple checkpoints at a given (say) airport.

It reminds me of a program where Kenneth Branagh was playing a Nazi and they were talking about using an X-ray machine under a table against Jewish people. The Jew would come up to the table and fill in a form while a button was pressed that released X-rays to sterilse them. Nasty stuff.

[Trudi G]

The police have already seen me naked once, due to a little stint spent in a cell one night after my mate was done for possession. Those strip searches are damn thorough too....

[Larry]

The police have already seen me naked once, due to a little stint spent in a cell one night after my mate was done for possession. Those strip searches are damn thorough too....

was a rubber laytex glove involed..

[Paul Monk]

It would cause havoc for radiation workers and pregnant ladies alike.
Say you lent against a lamp post containing one of these things waiting for a friend. The dose you'd get would mount up considerably. Radiation workers basically take dose for a living and every bit they take has to be recorded. If they go above their set limits they can't work again that year. This scheme would massively confuse that.
It's a stupid idea that I hope has only emerged as a fantasy of some civil servants brain and would never be taken seriously. Its seems they are going to try to go to silly lengths to protect us from a threat that is vastly exaggerated and has only gotten worse because the government insist on coming up with these schemes that make muslims feel more isolated and more likely to turn to extremism.
I hope I'm not right but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw English Civil Jihad in the next few years.

[Si Hunt]

What's English Civil Jihad? That reference has flown over me!

Si.

[Paul Monk]

Its my way of saying we'll have a war with British muslims on our hands if we're not careful.
I was feeling very pessimistic.

[Si Hunt]

Ah I see. Well, you could have a point. Let's hope not.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

If your religious beliefs tell you to keep your face concealed, then you're not going to be happy about the police being able to see your everything.

[Paul Monk]

Exactly. Anyway this x-ray thing'lll never happen because a) its been leaked and b) its just too wacky.

I could see this being used in train stations though.

[Jon Masters]

Methinks someone at the Home Office has seen Total Recall too many times.

Watch out for other new laws where we have to start paying for oxygen too.

[Larry]

I don't really know why this is such big news after all they have satalites in space that can see what peole are doing in the privacy of their own home so at the end of the day it's all the same thing.