Schumer’s bill would ban misuse of body scanner images

[avaistheone1]

Source: Raw Story

A New York senator wants to make it illegal for anyone to distribute or record images produced by full-body scanners at airports.

US Sen. Charles Schumer introduced a bill Sunday that calls for punishing anyone who misuses full-body scan images by up to a year in prison. They could also face fines of up to $100,000.

Privacy advocates say there are insufficient safeguards to ensure that the revealing images produced by the machines remain private…

The Transportation Security Administration says the images cannot be stored, transmitted or printed and they are deleted after use, but the agency has admitted the machines are capable of recording and storing images.



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/schumers-bill-ban-misuse-body-scanner-images/

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Dump the scanners altogether. They have not been completely tested for safety, and they do no detect explosives.

[snpsmom]

1. Americans are prudes

I wish we could have a discussion about why this is really a problem, namely that it is an illegal search. Just because I decide to fly doesn't mean there is probable cause to search me. I frankly am sick of Americans being so preoccupied with nudity and sexuality when our rights are being violated. Plus, why is it okay to glorify violence, but a little nudity is horrifying?

[bemildred]

3. Welcome to DU. nt

[snpsmom]

6. Thanks

Glad to be here.

P.S. I go Pogo.

[Union Scribe]

8. They overlap.

Part of our rights is our right to choose who sees us nude, no? But I agree that the more basic problem becomes lost when the media starts talking about nudity.

[snpsmom]

10. I agree, it's about privacy,

but the issue is bigger and what it's really about is lost in the prudery.

[Gormy Cuss]

11. Calling people prudes for caring about personal privacy isn't helpful.

If people are validated in their worries about body privacy the path is open to lead them to the larger privacy issue. I get so tired of trying to connect the dots for people who don't see the privacy invasion when it's only one of electronic data, but now that it's about skin they're paying attention.

The best part of this bill however is that Shumer has raised awareness and the TSA's assurance that the machines aren't capable of storing images just took a hit. I hope another MOC demands the radiation test data too. Every challenge nibbles away at the TSA's argument that these machines are essential.

[snpsmom]

12. Not arguing against privacy rights

I think you and I agree that privacy is essential. And/but I'm frustrated that no one seems to care until it's about nudity.

[Mosaic]

19. It's not okay

Nudity is far less harmful to society than violence and anyone with common sense knows that. A warped puritan tradition, spread by annual thanksgiving celebration mainly, keeps the hatred of the body alive long after the puritans have died. It's time to examine ourselves and see life as most normal people around the world do. I do have concerns over the amount of radiation the scanners produce but that is a minor concern.

[Arctic Dave]

2. Right, because the government is soooo trustful.

If you really want to make it hurt, it should be a mandatory ten years in federal prison.

[snot]

4. He's missing the point, as far as I'm concerned.

It's not invasion of my bodily privacy, or even the damage to my DNA.

It's the rape of my Fourth Amendment rights.

[snpsmom]

5. My point exactly. nt

[molly77]

9. snot

I like your name. Anyway, it is almost unbelievable that WE have to be radiated and groped to travel by air and WikiLeaks is the criminal. I think our govt. is perverted. Chuck Schumer is ridiculous to ask that the photos of US citizens essentially naked not be available for other perverts to view. Just shows how far DC is from reality.

[somone]

7. Just another step to institutionalize Chertoff's cancer machines

"We now have LAWS in place to address your concerns"

[HockeyMom]

13. I would rather have a body scan than a pat down

I fly through JFK numerous times a year to see my kids and go back to NY. I am a 62 year old woman who weighs all of 100 lbs. Actually, I weighed this in my 20s also. If a TA scanner is that desperate to see a 100 lb. woman, be my guest. You won't see very much.

[Alameda]

20. speak for yourself...and what about the radiation....and what else?

.......I value my privacy...and being stripped naked is an invasion. Not to even get into the fact it's ineffective.

[Blandocyte]

14. Bans don't work! Remember Prohibition?

Now only bad guys will have images from scans!

[KoKo]

15. DO NOT TRUST CHUCK SCHUMER! He's a DINO...RW!

Did you watch C-Span where he was laughing and joking about how the Bill Went DOWN?

He's a PLANT...and he's so "EMPOWERED WITH HIS OWN GLORIOUS SELF" that he LAUGHS AND CHORTLES and SENDS "NOTES" like a 13 YEAR OLD while the Speeches are going on after this DISASTER VOTE!

He TRASHED THE LEFT...years ago in a Press Conference that I posted here on DU...where he said in response to a Reporter asking: "Senator Schumer" how will the Democratic Left feel about your vote against them in the Senate today?"

Schumer Responded to he reporter asking about how "The Left would Respond" by saying.......

SCHUMER:

WHEN THE LEFT PUSHES WE PUSH BACK!

This was during the FINANCIAL MELT DOWN...if memory serves me. I wish I had time to find the link...but I will get back to it..........

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[defendandprotect]

17. What we need is an end to this Chertoff inspired deception and nonsense ....

As Cheney freqently told us ...

"the right wing creates the reality and the result of you life it!"

An "underwear bomber" -- and no one can picture W Bush and Cheney sitting laughing

their heads off?

Chertoff needed a way to get his foul machines under contract to government --

[LibDemAlways]

18. This crap is a clear violation of our 4th amendment rights. Nude-o-scopes

and gropes should both be outlawed. Treating everyone as a criminal suspect is just plain wrong.

[laconicsax]

21. So the TSA agent has to delete the images them after wanking?

Is that what constitutes "use?"

[quakerboy]

22. A law is only as good as the enforcement

And I think the past 10 years have pretty conclusively proven that we only enforce our laws quite selectively. Which means this is meaningless, even if it addressed the core issue of our rights, which it does not.

[crikkett]

23. ...rather than just turn the bloody things off... n/t