The balance of power in airport security screening

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Gordon Syme <gordon () twiceasgood net>
Date: February 3, 2010 7:31:18 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: The balance of power in airport security screening

Prof. Farber, 

for IP if you wish:

According to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8490860.stm passengers
'selected' to be scanned by the full-body scanners (the article does not
specify if they are X-ray or not) have no choice, they must either
submit to the scan or not fly. There is no alternative pat-down or
similar.

Many commentators make the point that it is travellers fault for
complying with these measures en masse that allow them to be
implemented, generally while quoting Benjamin Franklin. However this
completely ignores the balance of power you experience while travelling
through an airport.

For many people, myself included, the cost of travel is significant. We
are put in a situation where we either submit silently to every demand
placed upon us by security screeners or we stand to lose everything we
have paid for flights, hotels etc.

I put forward that this is not a case of people being willing to submit
to any and all security measures because they are scared of terrorism,
it is people balancing the cost of whatever inconvenient or degrading
measures are put in front of them against the financial cost of
non-compliance (or even causing a scene by asking questions).

Until the inconvenience cost outweighs the financial cost the only
sensible thing to do is go along with whatever the screeners tell you
you must do.

And so I ask IP, what can the ordinary person do about this, short of
never flying again?

-Gordon





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