There seem to be a strange number of messages here, and oddly it seems split on national grounds.
Overall, in principle, the Europeans see little harm in the journalists testing the system where the US based correspondents are against them to a man.
If there is such a national divide, then count me on the side of the 'US based correspondents'.
I don't believe for a moment that journalists who 'test security' have the slightest interest in improving security. They, and those who employ them, are interested only in trying to obtain a 'shock horror' story regardless of the consequences. If their concerns were sincere, all they need do is report their findings to the relevant authorities discreetly - not through widespread publicity their media organs.
Nor do I consider they perform any useful function, even as a by-product of their irresponsible activities. The frequent consequence of such irresponsible behaviour is a tightening of security which merely further inconveniences law-abiding people while doing nothing whatsoever to deter terrorists.
A and C summed up the problem perfectly in a discussion about one so-called 'security' rule in the R&N forum:
" ..... these stupid rules that we have had imposed on us are not for the protection of the passengers or the public on the ground, these rules are writen to protect the politicians from the media!"
Absolutely right.
Tudor Owen