Full-body scanner technology is coming to Los Angeles' subway systems

Polycount

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Transportation security throughout the world has tightened considerably over the past decade.

In a bid to curb terrorism and illegal entry into a given country, airports have implemented new scanner technology and even adopted new "digital strip search" rules that can force travelers to hand over their device passwords to airport security officials.

As this emphasis on safety increases, it should come as no surprise to hear that Los Angeles (LA) will be the first US city to add full-body scanners to its metro subways. However, these scanners won't look or function like you might expect.

Unlike the large, stationary scanners you might see at an airport, LA's upcoming "Thruvision" devices will be roughly the size of a table, and passengers won't have to walk between two scanner pillars.

Instead, the devices will sit near the stairs leading down into subway boarding areas, seemingly scanning anybody that walks in front of it.

LA transportation official Alex Wiggins says the scanners are specifically designed to look for weapons that can cause "a mass casualty event." Handguns and other less-lethal weapons don't seem to be a priority for the city.

This technology can reportedly process a whopping 2,000 passengers per hour, and it can detect "suspicious items" from up to 30ft away.

Though there are definitely a few privacy concerns to think about here -- specifically, some may worry that the scanners are "profiling" them -- these scanners are already less invasive than the ones you might see at airports.

Furthermore, the fact that they aren't necessarily looking for small pocket knives or other day-to-day objects should come as a comfort to many.

Regardless of how you feel about this tech, it will begin to roll out to subway systems throughout LA sometime in the coming months.

Image courtesy The New York Times

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" there are definitely a few privacy concerns to think about here -- specifically, some may worry that the scanners are "profiling" them"
In Canada a company named Cadillac-Fairview was discovered to be using facial recognition software in the enormous shopping malls in the directory/maps. So anyone using it was subject to this tech and no notice was given that it was being used. When someone discovered this and went public the company stopped its use. Certainly interesting times we live in.
 
" there are definitely a few privacy concerns to think about here -- specifically, some may worry that the scanners are "profiling" them"

It's not profiling if we profile everybody! *taps temple*
 
" there are definitely a few privacy concerns to think about here -- specifically, some may worry that the scanners are "profiling" them"

It's not profiling if we profile everybody! *taps temple*
IMO, that depends on whether it goes into predictive profiling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictive_profiling

This is being tried in places. As I see it, it amounts to classifying the actions of people such that if anyone's actions are considered "strange" to the norm, then anyone exhibiting that behavior is considered a threat. The problem is, strange behavior will never be 100-percent statistically accurate at predicting threats.
 
"The scanners look for weapons that can cause mass casualties"

Just about any weapon can cause mass casualties when people are packed together like sardines.
Exactly... a crazy person with a knife could cause "mass casualties". Just ask bus riders in London.

Somehow I feel dogs trained to sniff out explosives would be more effective and a lot cheaper, and wouldn't be an invasion of privacy.
 
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