I can see your bobbly bits!

[Vladimir]

I'm suprised no one from the UK has posted this. It seems that despite being the most heavily surveiled people in the world, it's not enough for the UK government.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6309917.stm

"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?"

[Somebody Else]

These have been around for a while. I think damp clothing is enough to obscure things...

Compulsory wet t-shirts for certain passengers, methinks?

[Vladimir]

Well they really haven't "been around" for long. The cameras may be placed en masse in London after a brief trial period.

[KukriKhan]

Seems like the issue would come down to what the country's protections against "unreasonable searches" are, and what level of expectation of (if not privacy) non-intrusion, people on a public street may have.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Isn't Superman a good guy?

Seeing through clothes sounds kind of lecherous...but ewww, that's a freaky picture.

[lars573]

Seems like the issue would come down to what the country's protections against "unreasonable searches" are, and what level of expectation of (if not privacy) non-intrusion, people on a public street may have.

I believe (no being an expert in British law) that privacy protection only covers your home. In a public place anything goes.

[KukriKhan]

I believe (no being an expert in British law) that privacy protection only covers your home. In a public place anything goes.

Yeah. I'll be interested to seeEnglish Assassin's take on this. I think US law would be against electronically searching pedestrians, but a case might be made for such searches being legal while operating or travelling in a licensed vehicle on a publicly-funded road.

[Fisherking]

You know that we have the right to travel. However governments seem to confuse it with travail. Where expressly do we give up individual rights by venturing outside our homes?

This is also a technology which would allow them to look into your homes, so just a corner camera at the intersection and they can be keeping you even safer. When Mary takes out a knife in the kitchen they can scramble the police unit before she can do any harm to poor Harry….or was it the Roast Beef she was going for?

Is this what is meant by a free and open society…one in which the government is free to overstretch its bounds while all we can do is just hold open debate?


All in favour please say Aye!

[yesdachi]

I seem to remember Sony having a digital camera or camcorder a while back that they pulled having a low-light ability that could see-thru some clothes.
I see a new video series ala girls gone wild.

[Kralizec]

Aren't X-rays supposed to be harmful?

[BDC]

It's pointless.

"We have a shadowy human figure with a knife seen on xxx street, if only we had half a million officers we'd be there!"

[yesdachi]

It's pointless.

"We have a shadowy human figure with a knife seen on xxx street, if only we had half a million officers we'd be there!"

On xxx street there is probably a few off-duty ones already there.

[BigTex]

Aren't X-rays supposed to be harmful?

It's a T-ray, different then the x-ray. Not sure if it is harmful to the body, but unlike a x-ray it doesnt penetrate your skin.

Seems like the issue would come down to what the country's protections against "unreasonable searches" are, and what level of expectation of (if not privacy) non-intrusion, people on a public street may have.

The inside of your car is private property regardless of where it travels. It falls under the protections of the bill of rights. We had this problem not to long ago were the people were watching a porno inside the car. A little kid was able to see it. The case finally made it to the supreme court, were they ruled it was private property.

I have mixed feelings about this. It definately should/could only be used at airports or other public transportation. But it is very intrusive.

[Fisherking]

Well in the one photo or rendering it was looking at people inside a truck…if they see that they can likely see into your home, not that the government or local police would do that of course.

Jim the neighbourhood cop thinks his wife is cheating, or maybe he wants for what ever reason to find out if any wives in the neighbourhood are cheating…but I am sure he wouldn't be able to do that, right?

And they would never just mount them in every intersection and scan the block, would they?

Of course this might make some of those ridiculous laws they could never enforce before enforceable.

Oh well why worry now! The Department of Defence probably already has any number orbiting on satellites and has a compilation of willy sizes (up and down) for every man in the country.

[Scurvy]

It's pointless.

"We have a shadowy human figure with a knife seen on xxx street, if only we had half a million officers we'd be there!"

don't worry, theres a community support officer on his way....

[Husar]

Wouldn't some chainmail shirt block it?
Return to the middle ages!

[Hosakawa Tito]

Seems one can beat this by hiding the contraband in a ....em....body cavity.