# Homeland Security Authorizes Laptop Searches At U.S. Borders



## TechGuy (Feb 12, 1999)

[WEBQUOTE="http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209903432"]Investigators don't have to suspect illegal activity in order to read people's e-mail, examine their photographs, and find out what Web sites they have visited when they enter the United States with laptops or other electronic devices, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said recently. [/WEBQUOTE]

Actual government document: http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/admissability/search_authority.ctt/search_authority.pdf


----------



## Juice13610 (Oct 26, 2004)

And this is a problem for you?


----------



## TechGuy (Feb 12, 1999)

It's just a question of how many rights we should be giving up for the feeling of security. Dan and I discuss it in some detail in the latest podcast.


----------



## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Juice13610 said:


> And this is a problem for you?


The principle of it is a HUGE problem for me. Since I don't currently own a laptop, the practical application of it won't bother me. What I want to know is what happens if they screw up the laptop while trying to inspect it and must I provide assistance to them?

Peace...


----------



## ablaye2008 (Aug 19, 2008)

It does bother me. I don't want anyone snooping in my laptop.


----------



## TechGuy (Feb 12, 1999)

The other issue that has been raised is that of privacy. Suppose if you have industry secrets or, even worse, private medical information on the notebook. When the computer is taken from you, taken off-site by a government official, worked on by third party companies, etc. I think it is conceivable that someone along the line will maliciously or accidentally allow your information to "get out."


----------



## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Not only that, how do we know what they will actually do with any information they copy from the laptop. Leaking it is one possibility. Storage or archival for later use is another possibility. Additionally, what happens if the laptop gets stolen while it's being transferred offsite for analysis?

Peace...


----------



## citizensheep (Oct 11, 2007)

I have huge issues with this. And I think we have a duty to question it. No-one's infallible: if you blindly put your trust in the authorities then you're giving them the right to entrust your data with whoever they choose. The idea that 'if you've got nothing to hide then you've nothing to fear' seems naiive to me, and a way of avoiding the truth. That same principle is being used to justify longer detention times for terrorist suspects in the UK. As this article in the Guardian illustrates, the casualties tend to be the innocent and not the guilty.


----------

