Madison Choiniere English 12 PerC Slajda

Does our Security Violate our Privacy? Theres one big question running through the minds of Americans: Does our need for security threaten our privacy? In 2008 ,advanced imaging technology (AIT) was added to almost 160 airports nationwide. All AIT units put at airports are equipped with software designed to enhance passenger privacy by eliminating individual specific images instead auto-detecting threats and highlighting their location on a general outline of the passenger that is identical for all other passengers. Nobody knows if weve taken the need for security way too far. Some people believe that these new full body scanners are a violation to our privacy. Ever since 9/11, Americans have wanted two things the need for security and privacy. So are these new full body scanner a win- win situation? Over 99% of people that go through airports with this technology agree to get scanned, but that doesnt mean they like it or feel their privacy isnt being violated. Safety is paramount, but I think theyre crossing the line and violating peoples privacy. Even though they never see our face, they see you virtually nude and lumpy body, says Connie Schultz. Even though we are reinsured the image is deleted after we walk through the machine you never know. We thought we knew everything; racial profiling was the way to

go. Our security was good enough. Nobody was going to get on a plane with a bomb. What about Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab? He got on a plane with a bomb and almost killed hundreds of innocent people. Mohammed Khan, a Washington State University student, wrote about his own experience. Mohammed gets racially profiled everywhere he goes. Officials told him when he came to America With a name like Mohammed Farooq Ali Khan, you are going to be held everywhere. Abdulmutallab wasnt Muslim. He came from a wealthy family and his father even warned the government about him. They did nothing, and we walked onto a plane with a bomb because no one would expect anyone but a Muslim to bomb a plane. I understand that we need security, and it is extremely important to our country, but these new full body scanners may have crossed the line. So what is America going to do next when people figure out how to get away carrying things they shouldnt through these scanners? You cant say it wont happen because it most likely will. I agree that safety is paramount, but so is the privacy of fliers. There needs to be a way to catch things and not violate people. Since 2007 we have spent almost 1 billion dollars on adding these AIT machines to airports, yet they havent been proved effective. Since racial profiling didnt work the government is trying Observation Techniques. This way they are trying to identify suspicious-looking people and talk to them to see whether or not they pose a threat. This was stated in the Journal Inquirer on November 14th, 2013. That was not long ago at all and the government is still debating whether or not these machines and this new observing way will work. It should not take six almost seven years and a billion dollars later to figure out if this is the technology we want to use to keep our nation safe.

I feel that our country has taken security to the point where it had violated peoples privacy and that is not right. Invasion of the right to privacy can be the basis for a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity violating the right. These include the 4th amendment which states the right to be free of unwarranted search or seizure, the 1st amendment which states right to free assembly, and the 14th amendment which states due process right, recognized by the court as protecting a general right to privacy within family. So what are your thoughts? Has our need for security violated our privacy?