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Comment by bhiggins | Hacker News Reader

I'd have no problem going through the backscatter body scanner every time if the government would just do this to make me feel better:

- I could see the body scan of the TSA agent who is scanning me.

- The body scans of John S. Pistole (TSA administrator), Janet Napolitano (secretary of Homeland Security), and Barack Obama were made public.

I feel that if body scanning is so important then our national leaders should lead the way in showing how it's not a big deal.

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I see that a lot of people agree with you.

I, however, would gladly permit myself to be scanned on condition that I never had to view the body scans of any of the aforementioned government employees.

That being said, being scanned (and especially having some files stored for unknown length of time) seems to be a very unpleasant prospect for many people. And...

There is going to be a huge outcry when (not if) some TSA employee starts posting some images online - or having a huge stash of them found on their personal computer. Count on it happening.

EDIT: Plus, count on some real action being taken once a celebrity's images are posted.

I would like to ask you an honest question, and I would like you to be honest. I will trust your answer is true.

Are you posturing and drawing a line in the sand with no real intent of following through if they cross? Or would you really go through backscatters with no qualms if they did as you asked?

It's difficult to answer the question "What would you do if this probability effectively-0 event came to pass?" So many things about that world would have to be different that I don't think that question is easy to answer. But all else being equal, yes I would actually feel better about it (despite not being the original poster you are questioning), and this is why: It would show our leadership has a proper understanding about the nature of the situation, that once information is taken it might as well be posted on the internet. Just like I'd feel better if Social Security numbers were simply declared to be public information so that we could all stop pretending that they are a useful identification technique.

I still wouldn't like it.

But it's a good question to ask, I think.

I don't travel much, but the last time I had the option I opted not to go through the body scanner. At that time, the alternative was the usual metal detector. I plan on travelling next month and I am considering doing the pat-down since in some sense I find it more honest than the body scanner.

If our leaders did release their images publicly I would at least feel that they were acting in good faith and I would be much more wiling to go through the body scanner knowing that they had really put themselves out there...

and their wives too lol

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