UK airport to reconsider x-ray machine trials over fears of child pornography law breach

London, Oct.16 (ANI): Britain's Manchester Airport has been forced to reconsider trials of its new revealing x-ray machine over fears the images could breach child pornography laws.

Manchester Airport began the year-long trial of the full-body scan machine this week but has announced it will seek legal advice over proposals to send children through the scanners, reports The Telegraph.

The machine can instantly detect any hidden weapons or explosives without passengers having to remove any of their clothing for a search.owever, some passengers fear the machine reveals a little too much, including breast enlargements, the outline of genitals and body piercings.

Now concerns have shifted to that of young passengers who may pass through the machines.

UK children's advocate from Action on Rights for Children said the scanner will breach the country's Protection of Children Act 1978, which states that it is an offence to "show" and "make" an indecent image of a child.

For most effective use of Rapiscan technology, passengers are likely to be required to keep their legs slightly apart and raise their arms - a pose that some argue can be seen as pornographic.

Manchester airport says it does not believe the images created would breach the laws as they use x-rays and therefore "do not make an image".

"Our view is that it does not break the law," a Manchester airport spokesman told the UK's Register.

The machine, which cost about 139,263 dollars beams electromagnetic waves at passengers while they stand in a booth.

A three-dimensional image is then created and assessed by an officer sitting in a separate part of the airport.

Passengers still have the option of refusing a scan and opting for the more traditional security checks. (ANI)