It's hard to find a single media outlet that isn't buzzing about the proposed opt-out protest of TSA's full-body scanners that has been floated by frustrated travelers who plan to fly on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving weekend, one of the biggest travel days of the year. In a pile-on that's led to a flood of YouTube videos of upset children getting pat-downs and travelers talking back to TSA agents. Seventy percent of travelers said they support opting out tomorrow, according to a poll by the Consumer Travel Alliance. But are these concerns being blown out of proportion? A Washington Post/ABC poll released today says that two-thirds of Americans support the full-body screening systems, saying that they prioritize their safety while flying over their personal privacy while in the machines. More than half think that the enhanced pat-downs go way too far, even though the TSA claims that less than three percent of travelers are randomly selected for a pat-down. In contrast, 70 percent of respondents said they support profiling at the airport, a tricky issue that rises the ire of civil rights advocates. And, the Post points out, if this were the case, Americans would have to become more comfortable with security officials knowing a lot more about them. What's of larger concern? Someone seeing an X-ray scan of you or knowing more of your personal history?
Backlink: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/11/will-you-optout.html
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