Body Scanners in Airports

After September 11, 2001, travel changed for airline passengers around the world. Governments recognized the danger from terrorist attacks aimed at planes in general and their use as a destructive weapon in particular. To establish a greater level of security, body scanners were developed that gradually replaced the already-existing metal detectors. The scanners can provide a detailed picture of a person’s body that shows if something is being hidden from security. In 2007, the first body scanners were launched; since then they have become an essential part of airport security controls and part of the process many travelers have to go through every year at airports around the globe. Despite questions about the loss of individual rights, body scanners have become common in many countries.

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