Exploring the acceptance of body searches, body scans and TSA trust

Abstract

The general public is concerned about the invasion of privacy caused by full-body scanning and pat-down body searches. This privacy debate centers on the U.S. Constitutional right for “people to be secure in their person, house, papers, and effects and against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Full-body scanning and pat-down body searches test the limits of these Constitutional rights. Thus far the courts have ruled that passenger airport screening is a reasonable cost that Americans must pay to prevent death, injury and property damage from terrorist attacks. This paper measures the general public’s acceptance of pat-down body searches and full-body scan technology. Through the use of a survey, we sought input from individuals ranging from flyers to non-flyers about issues dealing with privacy and the concept of trust with the Transportation Security Administration and other government agencies responsible for managing these privacy issues. The attitude of most of those surveyed shows acceptance of full-body scanning and pat-down searches assuming that these airport screening methods help to insure passenger safety when flying. But, acceptance measures did expose that some minority populations and minority religions are less accepting of both pat-down body searches and body scans.