The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the twin towers kick-started a wave of enhanced airport security measures across the United States. Nine years later, America is about to see even greater increases in airport security across the nation. This increase is caused by even more actions of terror, including the attempted Christmas Day attack last year, when a man tried to blow up an airplane with a bomb hidden in his underwear. These precautions include full-body scans which allow airport screeners to see the outline of one’s body without clothing and pat downs for those who decline to be screened.

Controversy about privacy issues has sprung up, and many American citizens have protested the scanning procedure. Indeed, as the purported attacks originated overseas, many do not see the point of increased security in United States airports.

Out of 450 airports in the nation, 40 airports have implemented the new scanners. Although these instruments have been used increasingly since 2007, real criticism did not escalate until November 1,^, 2010 when the pat-down technique was used on passengers who were unwilling to submit themselves to the scanner. Many say the new procedure is invasive and embarrassing, and only about 1% of passengers have opted out of the scan in favor of the pat down, which is more thorough as it extends to the groin and breast areas.

In addition, passengers worry about what effect the levels of radiation emitted from the X-rays will have on their bodies. TSA representative Luis Casanova insists that the “amount of radiation is so negligible, that is has no impact whatsoever on health” for the radiation from going through the full body scanner is the same as one one thousandth of the radiation in an X-ray.  A private physicist found that the amount of radiation is actually large than that; it is approximately one one-hundredth of a chest X-ray.

Regardless of radiation poisoning, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials say that they plan on adding about 60 of these machines a month to airports, and hope to install 500 machines in total by the end of 2010. The TSA hopes to add 500 more in the coming year. However, the majority of passengers will still be checked using the traditional metal detectors and X-ray machines. In response to criticism, the TSA has stated that it is still seeking a balance between privacy and security.

The security system has been updated partly in response to the Christmas Day bombing and other attempted attacks. Terror groups have shown a tendency toward more frequent, but smaller, acts of terror, as a large-scale operation reminiscent of 9/11 would be too difficult to conceal from the expanded intelligence dragnet in the United States. These smaller-scale attacks can cause major economic damage, and at the same time increase public panic.

Although public panic may be decreased somewhat by these new security techniques, a call has been made for the revision of the entire United States security system.  James Carafno, a security specialist at the Heritage Foundation says that only screening passengers who raise suspicion after a preliminary screening would be more sensible than X-raying all passengers, which would be a costly venture.

For now, however, the new scanners remain in place and Americans will just have to get used to another security checkpoint that they must go through.