So, I’m over in Brussels for the FOSDEM this weekend. I decided to fly because it was actually cheaper than taking the train.
I got to Heathrow Terminal 4 this afternoon to discover that they’re trialling millimeter wave scanning devices on random people. A sign stated that this was a trial and that you can elect for a full body search instead. Of course, I was randomly selected to be scanned by the machine and was compelled to decline their offer as they weren’t offering any guarantees as to:
- Whether the machine is safe
- More importantly, what happens to the images? Are they stored in a centralised retrival system from which any government whackjob with a ID Cards buttplug installed can come take a look at pictures of people naked?
No thanks. I’ll take the hand search, which I did. They were pretty ok about it (though my bag was searched with an ion scanner) and even went as far as to agree with me that there were too many open questions about the new machine (cunningly named the “Secure 1000″ – you can’t make this crap up). Until it’s illegal not to be anally probed and have an impression of your arse stored in a government database, I’ll just be saying no. You should too.
Jon.