Germany Tries to Stop Body Scanners Seeing Nipples

After dismissing airport-destined full-body scanners as nonsense last month, the German government has decided to have another crack at the latest device in the game known as "security theater".

The T-Ray scanner, which sees through clothes to detect such hidden dangers as nail clippers and perhaps a ripe, potentially explosive Mozzarella di Bufala (yes, Naples airport -- I'm still sore about that), has been nicknamed the "Naked Scanner" by Germans. The device renders a blurred picture of the body underneath the clothes, raising issues of privacy.

Now, remember -- this scanner is likely to do nothing other than inconvenience passengers and add extra Euros to EU airports' budgets. But attempting to discount the device on privacy grounds seems a little prudish. Here's what the German Interior Ministry (irony noted) is doing about it:

Germany will begin laboratory tests in the next few weeks on full-body airport screening devices to see if they can produce images that do not show passengers naked. (emphasis added)

This is especially ridiculous when you consider the usual German attitude to nudity. I have spent many afternoons in German parks, and seen the rather scary sight of a big-bellied father, naked but for a pair of sandals, cooking sausages on a barbecue. That's something the politicians should be looking into.

Germany plans lab tests for airport "naked scans" [Reuters]

See Also:

• Germany Says "Nein" to Full Body Scanners
• British Security Camera Can See Through Clothes