More than 8,000 people have joined a campaign group opposing the use of full-body scanners at airports.
Protesters are using the social networking site Facebook - alongside letter writing campaigns, leaflets and petitions - in their bid to fight the introduction of the controversial technology.
One of the £80,000 Rapiscan machines was being piloted at Manchester Airport, but this week the government announced a national roll-out of the scheme.
Under new rules, any passenger can be asked to go through the scanners and anyone who refuses will not be allowed to fly.
The group 'All Facebook Against Full-body Scanners' was created by privacy advocates Sam Edi and Myron Fagan, from Padiham, Lancashire.
Well-known members include Irish musician Jim Corr from the Corrs and Privacy International's Alexander Hanff.
Ineffective
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Fagan said: “We appear to be looking at a very expensive investment in largely ineffective technology that violates our right to privacy and poses a significant health risk.
“We are asking every Facebook user to join us in the fight against the encroaching Big Brother State.
“In the words of Benjamin Franklin, they who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security.”
The government insists that body scanners are an extra measure to boost security at airports and do not pose any health risk to passengers.
Gordon Brown decided to implement the machinery in the wake of a alleged failed attempt to blow up a transatlantic jet bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.
Manchester Airport bosses insist that the move is necessary to ensure the safety of passengers and say that those selected will not be chosen on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity. They added thatnobody has refused to be scanned since it was made compulsory on Monday.
8,000 back fight against ‘naked’ scanners
February 05, 2010
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Tezza, Tyldesley (05/02/2010 at 15:53)
If you dont like it dont travel.
If this was introduced at a night club door and you didnt get in if you refused then i suspect most people would just do it and not give it a second thought
RT, UK (05/02/2010 at 15:53)
Stop targeting ordinary people and treating them as potential terrorists. It is total nonsense.
Target the potential terrorists. That would make sense.
happy2behere, South Manchester (05/02/2010 at 15:55)
I have my right to safe air travel which is far more important than my right to privacy
These scanners are here to help save lives, for your benefit. Those signing up for the facebook petition seem to have forgot that important fact.
Black Flag (05/02/2010 at 16:06)
No, you don't.
Black Flag (05/02/2010 at 16:11)
I suspect most people would probably go somewhere else a little less pervy. It's not something I'd have too much of a problem with in those circumstances, because each nightclub would have the choice of whether or not to use it and each potential customer would be able to make their own choice.
The major problem in this case is that it isn't the individual airlines making the decision, it is the state forcing it on everyone because a few pervs like the idea.
marcus, salford (05/02/2010 at 16:21)
ps: if you are a law abiding person you would not even question this machine or it's use. This is nothing to do with BIG BROTHER watching the innocent, it is BIG BROTHER watching the guilty.
Tezza, Tyldesley (05/02/2010 at 16:33)
why are these things pervy?
Count Arthur Strong, Hulme (05/02/2010 at 16:33)
Higgs Boson, Greater Manchester (05/02/2010 at 16:37)
Black Flag (05/02/2010 at 16:42)
As I said on a previous thread, they will present an opportunity for peeping toms and paedophiles and we should be very wary of people who support them.
Tezza, Tyldesley (05/02/2010 at 16:43)
Not many i bet
Chelley, Milan (05/02/2010 at 16:43)
I'm all for the scheme, who refuses,simple, they go home! Nothing seedy or pervy at all. Just shows you how some peoples minds work.
MCFC1996 Manchester (05/02/2010 at 16:44)
happy2behere, South Manchester (05/02/2010 at 17:02)
Given your scenario then, if it was upto the airlines to choose to scan or not to scan are you honestly saying that you as an individual would choose an airline that did not use the scanner over an airline that did ?
The terrorists are real and they will keep on coming why make it easy for them ?
A thought for you. Given the worst case and a pervert gets through the vetting what will happen to you ? that person gets a kick out of viewing the images. You will never get to find out about it. Without the scanner a terrorist manages to get through the vetting. What will happen to you, and the other 200 on your flight ? You all die. This should bring it all into perpective
citycentre, manchester (05/02/2010 at 17:04)
So bullying and intimidation are the way to improve things?
MCFC1996 Manchester
Forcing everyone to fly naked and with their hands tied would make flying safer. You in favour of that as well? After all, who could object to anything which improves safety?
Ignoramus, Manchester (05/02/2010 at 17:07)
I could install cctv in every room of your house to keep an eye on you and your family, if anything happens ill ring the police for you. This will make you safer, so when shall I come round with my toolkit?
Tezza, Tyldesley (05/02/2010 at 17:18)
i really think that they whole country has become obsessed with paedophiles and yet 99% of us will never come into contact with them.
And as the stats say 75% of all paedophile crimes are commited by someone known the the victim.
Jay B, oldham (05/02/2010 at 17:20)
what a load of cobblers!! if this makes people feel safer when flying then its worth it!
better that than saving your modesty only then for a terrorist get on you plane!
Andanotherthing, Mcr (05/02/2010 at 17:35)
Theowolfe (05/02/2010 at 17:40)
We are told that the images are not erotic in any way. I wonder why the only pictures I have seen are of a middle aged male. That's probably because the advocates of the machines realise that the images are or can be erotic.
citycentre, manchester (05/02/2010 at 18:08)
"if this makes people feel safer when flying then its worth it! "
Great, don't bother with proving something works, lets spend millions of pounds just to make you feel safer.
Tezza, Tyldesley (05/02/2010 at 18:09)
Wow naked flying... well ay least i'll get a row of seats to myself... i mean who'd want to sit next to a naked ME
Laura Norder, Didsbury (05/02/2010 at 18:13)
Nothing to do with being 'underdeveloped' then?
GazzaBlue, Brussels (05/02/2010 at 18:35)
Black Flag (05/02/2010 at 18:38)
I really think that the whole country has become obsessed with terrorists and yet 99.99% of us will never come into contact with them.
The two issues are the bogeymen used by the government when it wants to do something ridiculous and both are surrounded by hysteria, but of the two, it is paedophilia which is the less public, less spectacular, but ultimately more real danger.
Why would you want to make life easier for child sex offenders?