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At U.S. Borders, Laptops Have No Right to Privacy »
Posted by: Ousama 3 years, 2 months agoA LOT of business travelers are walking around with laptops that contain private corporate information that their employers really do not want outsiders to see.Until recently, their biggest concern was that someone might steal the laptop. But now there's a new worry-that the laptop will be seized or its contents scrutinized at United States customs
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Comments: 37
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saneman
Oct. 24, 2006, 12:58 p.m.There could be WMDs in someone's laptop. Just like the article states, encrypted information is more than likely to be transmitted via emails. However, I like the idea of checking for child pornography.
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saneman
Oct. 24, 2006, 2:33 p.m.I agree, but the biggest danger to my family is a pedophile, and a crazy who enters a school and shoots kids.
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saneman
Oct. 24, 2006, 2:46 p.m.Studies have shown that there are over 3 million psychopaths in the U.S. This does not include all those people who are addicted to sex, drugs, booze, etc, all of who are scary and crazy.
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ck
Oct. 24, 2006, 1:34 p.m.This is exactly why I write all my sensitive documents in pig latin... ;-b
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ekklesiawarrior
Oct. 25, 2006, 10:04 a.m.C.K. good point!
What use is there to encryption, should the TSA agent demand the key to open the file? If you do not comply they can keep the notebook computer.
If you even look as of Mid East descent, you are doomed. In 2004 at Houston - the George Bush Airport, angry at our Greek Bible, swore at us for reading material not in English or Spanish. At an Irish Airport actually broke our notebook, in the name of the American TSA inpections.
Are we living a 1937 Germany, or is this 1984 being played out? ;-(
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Ousama
Oct. 24, 2006, 3:13 p.m.I wonder if the same scrutiny will be given to USB Memory sticks. I know many of us are starting to carry them more and more and use encryption packages that are off the shelf.
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Fabienne
Oct. 24, 2006, 3:16 p.m.TrueCrypt can be used for USB memory sticks as well and has been extensively tested.
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kerrywon
Oct. 24, 2006, 4:08 p.m.why stop there? lets confiscate all electronic devices; cell phones (known that they can be used to set off explosives), portable video games (some have violent terror-like themes to them), i-pods (could have terrorist music loaded or messages from al-qaida), camera's (could have photos of Osama right?)and while we're at it, full body cavity searches for all just to be sure. that will teach those pesky terrorists to mess with us! gee I feel safer already...
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saneman
Oct. 24, 2006, 4:38 p.m.And just think, 99% of the containers being imported into the U.S. are not being checked. American Airlines was showcased on TV the other day and they showed all the cargo and containers from other countires being loaded onto its airplanes and the host asked the cargo supervisor for American Airlines how much of that cargo and containers are inspected. His answer was ZERO.
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Mat347
Oct. 24, 2006, 4:33 p.m.I thought we had a right to yank the hard drive before letting them scan it..is that gone now as well??
"Those willing to give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither security nor liberty."
-Benjamin Franklin
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xlegultx
Oct. 24, 2006, 5:47 p.m.Unless the officials that scan the laptops decide to give out the company secrets etc, then no innocent person should care.
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boston5862
Oct. 24, 2006, 8:37 p.m.I am a criminal def atty; some of my cases are fed (some even involve ICE). I have committed no crime, but I can't let fed cops see my planned cross exam of the key prosecution witness, or my notes of conversations with my client: "Talked with Johnny; he said the murder weapon is buried in the backyard." My clients have a constitutional right to confidentiality. So I guess I can't take my laptop with me when I travel abroad. Which means I can't travel abroad, b/c I constantly have to appear for court telephonically, and I need my notes in my laptop to do that (which is why I have a laptop in the first place--so I can take it to court with me).
Besides, this is the same federal gov't that has repeatedly allowed its own laptops--containing the personal data of a jillion people--to be stolen. I am going to trust these people with the confidential product schematics of my business clients? I think not.
The travel industry better use whatever clout it has, soon.
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questionseverything
Oct. 24, 2006, 9:20 p.m.the story is an important one...it shows direct results of the constitution being eroded
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questionseverything
Oct. 24, 2006, 11:49 p.m.the correct standard on any border search...reasonable suspion
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worldmaker
Oct. 25, 2006, 4:27 a.m.Solutions:-
Don't bother encrypting it, because the government secret police will treat that as super-duper suspicious.
or
Take a simple PC, use remote access into your office pc/servers - that way no critical data leaves the office.
With remote access either:-
(1) Use your base remotely and all the data on them, with a laptop acting as a terminal to your network.
(2) Use the network acces to download data, such as a Windows Briefcase, work on the data, then upload back to your base machines before you cross the borders again.
For critical and confidential data you have to keep with you - use a rewritable DVD, and disguise it as a music CD with your other music CDs, or back to those USB devices, MP3 players, etc. You can now store several gigabytes on a small, cheap pocketable device.
You might also consider removing your laptop's hard drive and tucking it away separately.
There are other methods, but these should give you some comfort in this new age of paranoia.
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Star_Poet
Oct. 25, 2006, 5:39 a.m.Airport Nazis are funny.
Hit them where it hurts!!! In their pocket!! Travel less by airport, and more by dreams.
Hey! Everyone start arriving to the airports naked. No clothes, no luggage, just yourself and your intended destination.
Oh, the perverts at the airports would be sure to search your exit-only, yet the Gays would welcome this intrusion.
LOL
Final analysis: Airports are Hell. Seek a better Way.
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Justice4All
Oct. 25, 2006, 6:07 a.m.In most of the third world there is no right to privacy. Laptops can be seized, inspected and returned when they are ready. Why should the US be any different than the Middle East??
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1-2-Oscar
Oct. 25, 2006, 10:17 a.m.Why SHOULD laptops be exempted from security searches? It is readily apparent that the most detailed plans can be transported in this fashion.
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saneman
Oct. 25, 2006, 10:24 a.m.Then I would make sure that the cargo being shipped in the cargo bay of airplanes are completely checked, because currently none of it is being checked according the shipping supervisor from American Airlines. Its very easy to use a radio transmitter to activate what may be in the cargo bay of the airplane.
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Sandokan
Oct. 25, 2006, 10:36 a.m.Shades of 1984!!!! Big Brother is here. Sieg Heil ihr deppen. Was soll das überhaupt?
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alkop124
March 10, 2007, 10:08 p.m.I'm sorry to hear that the long-awaited sequel to the popular Capcom horror-survival series Resident Evil for the PlayStation 3 will be pushed back to 2008. Aside from the upcoming Konami epic Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, there is no other valid reason for me to shell out over $600 for the PS3.
I am depressed...
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