US Customs Can Search Your Electronics

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Following in the wake of February's news that customs agents were seizing electronics and making copies of all the files on cell phones and laptop hard drives, a federal appeals court has ruled on the legality of such searches. The result: Yeah, customs can do whatever it wants to your computer when you come across the border, without a warrant, and without cause.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/90325

That's a pretty sweeping power to be able to arbitrarily sieze and copy the files on cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, etc. Does it amount to the same thing as police being able to just randomly show up at your door and do a search of your home for no other reason than they didn't like the garden gnome on your lawn? Or do you think it's more akin to an electronics vesion of a random luggage check?

Edit: Brutal, and I spelled Customs with an E in the thread title for some reason. =/

[Locke]

What happens if you have confidential files on your computer such as tax records or in the case of a lawyer or psychiatrist's notes?

What I mean is, if you've got files that would otherwise require a warrant to produce how can they just take them?

[Gozer]

Can they copy CDs and DVDs too?

This seems like an outrageous precedent.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Locke

What happens if you have confidential files on your computer such as tax records or in the case of a lawyer or psychiatrist's notes?

What I mean is, if you've got files that would otherwise require a warrant to produce how can they just take them?

What i have plans on my laptop to blow up the Space Needle or the Sears Tower?

Anyways, think of the man power it will take to do this? I doubt it is worth the trouble for them...Even if it's selective.

But now that the word is out....who is stupid enough.

[chris lindberg]

I wonder if they lcan just eave it all in pieces like when they take your car apart?

[jolinar of malkshor]

What is the difference between having a big file folder with letters and papers and a cd or hard drive? Just the media. They always have had the ability to look at almost any kind of document when crossing the border and make photocopies if it pertained to a violation of a law.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

What i have plans on my laptop to blow up the Space Needle or the Sears Tower?

You can make the "what if" excuse for pretty much anything you want. Pretty soon they'll "what if" themselves out of that whole "land of the free" thing if this becomes perfectly acceptable.

[photon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography

http://www.truecrypt.org/

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

You can make the "what if" excuse for pretty much anything you want. Pretty soon they'll "what if" themselves out of that whole "land of the free" thing if this becomes perfectly acceptable.

Yes, that kinda was my point, thanks for picking up on it...

anyways it all seems like a big waste of time...

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

Yes, that kinda was my point, thanks for picking up on it...

anyways it all seems like a big waste of time...

You are welcome. I kind of thought the bit about the Sears Tower and the Space Needle were justification to do this. I guess not.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by photon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography

http://www.truecrypt.org/

If I read into certain parts of this then that means that LOL Cats are actually encrypted terrorist plot images.

This is truly terrifying!

[llama64]

Originally Posted by photon

http://www.truecrypt.org/

Hah, was just about to post that.

Just put all your "sensitive" data (ie, pr0n) into a true crypt image and name it something funky. Chances are, the guy looking at your hard disk won't have a clue what Ad891_04.tmp is, despite it taking up 40 gigs.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by kermitology

If I read into certain parts of this then that means that LOL Cats are actually encrypted terrorist plot images.

This is truly terrifying!

[photon]

Originally Posted by llama64

Hah, was just about to post that.

Just put all your "sensitive" data (ie, pr0n) into a true crypt image and name it something funky. Chances are, the guy looking at your hard disk won't have a clue what Ad891_04.tmp is, despite it taking up 40 gigs.

Better yet, put all your kind of sensitive data on a trucrypt image, and then put the really sensitive stuff in a hidden image in the trucrypt image, so if they compel you to give up the password they still dont get to see the real good stuff

[jammies]

Have these clowns ever heard of something called the "Internet"? If *I* were in charge of some terrorist cell, and I needed to send confidential information somewhere, the absolute LAST thing I would do is put it on a laptop, unencrypted, and send it physically on across the border for Joe Guarddude to possibly stumble upon.

I suppose the idea is to catch the really stupid criminals and terrorists. The smart ones they'll catch later, I guess.

[ken0042]

I guess I alsways figured that they always had the right to do this. That's why all my sensitive stuff gets put into a zip folder, and renamed whatever.log

Rename it back to .zip and then open it when I get where I'm going. But mainly to avoid embarrasment at the airport than anything else.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I guess I alsways figured that they always had the right to do this. That's why all my sensitive stuff gets put into a zip folder, and renamed whatever.log

Rename it back to .zip and then open it when I get where I'm going. But mainly to avoid embarrasment at the airport than anything else.

Read: I have a lot of porn.

[onetwo_threefour]

Not to be an apologist for Big Brother, but when you are travelling across country borders, you are an alien to at least one of the countries you are dealing with and can't really expect them to afford you all of the same protections as a citizen. I think privacy rights are important in a free and democratic society, but international security and the need to stop cross-border trafficking of dangerous substances should trump privacy I think. Only an idiot would transport illegal substances across an international border.

[mykalberta]

Just remember to use encryption on your computer. Customs wont be able to break it and you are not legally obligated to open it for them due to your 5th amendment or whatever against self incrimination.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

Not to be an apologist for Big Brother, but when you are travelling across country borders, you are an alien to at least one of the countries you are dealing with and can't really expect them to afford you all of the same protections as a citizen. I think privacy rights are important in a free and democratic society, but international security and the need to stop cross-border trafficking of dangerous substances should trump privacy I think. Only an idiot would transport illegal substances across an international border.

+1 Totally agree, while crossing the border you dont deserve the same rights as someone already legally in the country.