It's historical. From the earliest days of screening back when laptops first became available, they were always singled out for "out of the bag" screening. But CD players and digital cameras didn't exist then. The early screening equipment I think just saw it as a blob of metal that would mask what might also be behind it if it was in a bag. By taking it out of the bag you "unblock" the view. Maybe today the screening equipment is more sophisticated that seperating it is no longer necessary, but like evrything else government related, old procedures die hard and take on a life of their own. Thirty years from now you'll still be taking your shoes off.

I find it interesting that in Asia, you don't have to remove it from the bag. And I remember travelling through Germany in the early 90s they would actually weigh it and compare it to a list they had for every make and model to see if the weight matched the manufacturer's spec.

Oh, and BTW....... Welcome to FT!