Seizing of Laptops

[Travelnsj]

So should we bring our Laptops anymore?


US federal agents have been given new powers to seize travellers' laptops and other electronic devices at the border and hold them for unspecified periods, according to a newspaper report.

Under recently disclosed Department of Homeland Security policies, such seizures may be carried out without suspicion of wrongdoing, The Washington Post claims, quoting policies issued on 16 July by two DHS

Agents are empowered to share the contents of seized computers with other agencies and private entities for data decryption and other reasons, the newspaper claims.
DHS officials claim the policies applied to anyone entering the country, including US citizens, and were needed to prevent terrorism.

The measures have long been in place but were only disclosed in July, under pressure from civil-liberties and business-travel groups acting on reports that increasing numbers of international travellers had had their laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices removed and examined.

The policies cover hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes - as well as books, pamphlets and other written materials, the report says.

The policies require federal agents to take measures to protect business information and attorney-client privileged material. They stipulate that any copies of the data must be destroyed when a review is completed and no probable cause exists to keep the information.

Reuters
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[dallasdivergirl]

I will say with my 17in laptop it's not going any where with me.

What are to they really going to do with my phone? Call my mom?

[waytooslow]

Yep - got to keep those "terriost" at bay.

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin 1755

[SlvrDragon50]

Thats ridiculous...

I'm sure someone/some group will protest and take it out.

[mm_dm]

I'll gladly hand them my work cell phone, but they have to promise to answer it and deal with what's on the other end.

[dallasdivergirl]

Originally Posted by mm_dm

I'll gladly hand them my work cell phone, but they have to promise to answer it and deal with what's on the other end.

I had not thought of that. Let a few of my general contractors call them and start yelling, I be they give it back really fast.

[brandon]

Sadly, it's been before the Supreme Court several years ago and was upheld... this is just an extension of powers the government "already had."

In the past it's been used primarily to target the underage sex tourism trade. Certainly reasonable, but you'd hope they'd at least write policies that required some reasonable suspicion before they started searching your computers / electronic devices.

I would think that the amount of time required to acquire / search a digital device would force them to use this strategy only when justified...

-B

[sravin1]

thats ridiculous. what about privacy????

[Martin2]

You know, if they have the time and inclination to seize and search through my electronics just because they feel like it, I can see where the problem really is.

[Formerly 45yroldNewbie]

This is just further proof positive that the terrorists are actually winning the war. They don't need to occupy our land, buildings and churches, all they need is to have us running around scared ("terrorized?) and willing to submit to less freedoms and liberty and they have won.

Funny how the government who said we will win this war on terror is actually throwing the victory to the enemy by their own actions and policies!