Crossing the border? Kiss your 4th ammendment rights goodbye.

[Conductor42]

Federal agents at the border do not need any reason to search through travelers' laptops, cell phones or digital cameras for evidence of crimes, a federal appeals court ruled Monday, extending the government's power to look through belongings like suitcases at the border to electronics. The unanimous three-judge decision reverses a lower court finding that digital devices were "an extension of our own memory" and thus too personal (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2006/10/random_laptop_s.html) to allow the government to search them without cause. Instead, the earlier ruling said, Customs agents would need some reasonable and articulable suspicion a crime had occurred in order to search a traveler's laptop.
In the meantime, travelers should be aware that anything on their mobile devices can be searched by government agents, who may also seize the devices and keep them for weeks or months. When in doubt, think about whether online storage or encryption might be tools you should use to prevent the feds from rummaging through your journal,


http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/04/border-agents-c.html

[Philosophickle]

But at least we'll be safe from those freedom-hating terrorists.

[Ryokan]

People need to suck it up and stop being paranoid babies. The idea we will catch a single terrorist this way is absurd.

[rogue06]

When I returned from a two-day trip from Mexico in the late 70s my personal documents were searched. How is this different?

[Seasanctuary]

Terrorists win.

[Philosophickle]

I notice that libertarians are all over this thread like feds on email. We should start a movement.

[Philosophickle]

When I returned from a two-day trip from Mexico in the late 70s my personal documents were searched. How is this different?

In the meantime, travelers should be aware that anything on their mobile devices can be searched by government agents, who may also seize the devices and keep them for weeks or months.

[rogue06]

In the meantime, travelers should be aware that anything on their mobile devices can be searched by government agents, who may also seize the devices and keep them for weeks or months.

Yikes. That's a bit different from rifling through your papers for 10 minutes. I remember asking them if they thought I was hiding a ton of pot amongst the dozen odd pieces of paper. Don't think I made any friends at the Customs Bureau that day.

[Sparko]

dang. you better make sure you delete any saved TWEB cache before traveling then, cuz I am gonna fill this post with FBI "keywords"

Nuclear, Terrorist, NSA, Al Quaida, Doubting John.

[rogue06]

dang. you better make sure you delete any saved TWEB cache before traveling then, cuz I am gonna fill this post with FBI "keywords"

Nuclear, Terrorist, NSA, Al Quaida, Doubting John.

I understand that "LGM" is terrorist slang for "WMD" :yes:

[Tickle Me Mercury]

People need to suck it up and stop being paranoid babies. The idea we will catch a single terrorist this way is absurd.

From what I've read, it has nothing to do with terrorism, but with a suspected child pornography case.

A terrible ruling nonetheless, I think. It's an awful precedent that reverses the notion that authorities need a demonstrable reason to take action against a citizen.

[Nicholas]

I say we all start carrying around a printed copy of the Bill of Rights and program our computers to display an image of it when they turn on.

[Sparko]

I say we all start carrying around a printed copy of the Bill of Rights and program our computers to display an image of it when they turn on.

nah. Just have the Anarchist's Cookbook pop up when they turn it on.

[Nicholas]

nah. Just have the Anarchist's Cookbook pop up when they turn it on.

It's just a good thing I don't travel. If that type of thing ever happened to me, I'm not sure I'd be able to resist the urge to assert my Constitutional Rights, ask for probable cause, and start reciting the 4th Amendment. Atleast that's what I hope I'd do, instead of standing by quitely and let them violate my right to protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

[rogue06]

nah. Just have the Anarchist's Cookbook pop up when they turn it on.

That thing is utter garbage that'll get you hurt or killed if you try any of the stuff that's in it. Not that I've ever done that. :innocent:

[Ryokan]

From what I've read, it has nothing to do with terrorism, but with a suspected child pornography case.

A terrible ruling nonetheless, I think. It's an awful precedent that reverses the notion that authorities need a demonstrable reason to take action against a citizen.

You know, I have kids, and I "think of the children" but we can't frame our society entirely around protecting the children. Its not good for us or for the children who grow up. This whole internet child porn thing has gotten way out of hand. There is not a pedophile under every rock!

[Ryokan]

It's just a good thing I don't travel. If that type of thing ever happened to me, I'm not sure I'd be able to resist the urge to assert my Constitutional Rights, ask for probable cause, and start reciting the 4th Amendment. Atleast that's what I hope I'd do, instead of standing by quitely and let them violate my right to protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

I wouldn't hand it over. The ACLU, or somebody, would defend me. Its worth fighting for. I'd sit in jail for a little bit for that.

[Raphael]

Meh, if it happened to me I would possibly something very rude about Americans in general (and something even ruder about those particular Americans rifling through my private stuff) and end up in jail (I would also refuse point blank to allow them to look at my laptop apart from an x-ray).

Remind me never to travel to America.

[nickcopernicus]

I'd slam my laptop on the ground and say that I "dropped it" because totalitarian freedom-hatting communists make me "nervous."

Cheers,

Nick

[Sparko]

I'd slam my laptop on the ground and say that I "dropped it" because totalitarian freedom-hatting communists make me "nervous."

Cheers,

Nick

hey with all the laptop batteries catching on fire, I am surprised they don't just declare them all weapons of mass destruction.

[Tickle Me Mercury]

You know, I have kids, and I "think of the children" but we can't frame our society entirely around protecting the children. Its not good for us or for the children who grow up. This whole internet child porn thing has gotten way out of hand. There is not a pedophile under every rock!

Plus its not like child pornography is smuggled in through airports on laptops.

[Philosophickle]

Plus its not like child pornography is smuggled in through airports on laptops.

Most of it's in Washington anyway.