1984 in SFO?

pdwyer · Post by **pdwyer** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:28 am

A warning came out at work today due to a new law in the US.

On April 21, the Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that the US Customs Bureau has the right to examine the contents of electronic devices entering the country. The court's view was that Customs do not need probable cause to inspect the contents of electronic devices -- just as they do not need probable cause to inspect the contents of luggage. The ruling from the court states "Reasonable suspicion is not needed for customs officials to search a laptop or other personal electronic storage devices at the border."

"Excuse me, I'd just like to read the email you recieved over the last couple of days! "

Companies are informing people to transver data on the network rather than in laptops and not save data locally unless needed...

Considering how easy this is to circumvent whats the point? It's only privacy invasion and not achieving much for law enforcement

bembulak · Post by **bembulak** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:31 am

Same for iPods and other MP3-Players. Soon they will start to check, if you really bought the music you got on your Player.
Next will be to "take a look" at the USB-Sticks you carry around.

Sorry, America. This is a gooooood reason for me to never visit you again.

pdwyer · Post by **pdwyer** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:33 am

Not quite sure I'd go so far as to say that.

Personally, I think the inconvenience of it would be the worst part, how long would it take to copy all the data if you have a laptop with 40gb and other memory cards in cameras?

If you have encription on the drive (once that I've seen) the drive can't be imaged, it needs to be logged in to copy so the hard disk needs to stay in the laptop and copy over a network card or something. Privacy laws in Japan mean that most companies have to use this technology.

Then do you have to give them your encrypted zip pwds too so they can open the files?

Our company asked us to co-operate when asked for data but at the same time not to put any corporate data on the laptops in the first place

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:37 am

Presumably you will have to hand over your camera and they will browse all your photos in case there is something sensitive on there. No more photographing famous landmarks or you might get accused of planning a terrorist attack or something.

How far will they go to retrieve data, will they undelete files to see what was on there before?

pdwyer · Post by **pdwyer** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:41 pm

if your laptop won't boot will they fix it for you?

milan1612 · Post by **milan1612** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:47 pm

I heard that they can deny to let you enter the US at the airport if you carry
an encrypted data storage with you and refuse to give them the password...
Is this true?

Foz · Post by **Foz** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:48 pm

pdwyer wrote:if your laptop won't boot will they fix it for you?

Nope, you'll be arrested/shot for perverting the course of justice.

bembulak · Post by **bembulak** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:34 pm

Nope, you'll be arrested/shot for perverting the course of justice.

I'd belive that immediately.

I heard that they can deny to let you enter the US at the airport if you carry
an encrypted data storage with you and refuse to give them the password...
Is this true?

Heard the same. I think, they'd do it.

Presumably you will have to hand over your camera and they will browse all your photos in case there is something sensitive on there. No more photographing famous landmarks or you might get accused of planning a terrorist attack or something.

Yes. Also, you're a bad, bad P3d0-phile if you take photos of you own children taking a bath in the pool.

what a sick, sad world.

Kaeru Gaman · Post by **Kaeru Gaman** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:38 pm

> what a sick, sad world.

pardon, it's US-America, not the whole world.

pdwyer · Post by **pdwyer** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:52 pm

...and this probably won't stop in the US

Foz · Post by **Foz** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:54 pm

Kaeru Gaman wrote:> what a sick, sad world.

pardon, it's US-America, not the whole world.

to some people, (*cough*bush*cough*) that IS the whole world

Ollivier · Post by **Ollivier** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:17 pm

America is a democraty. There is good and wrong things. And if this law is unfair for you, don't forget there's laws to protect you too in that country !

It's not the kind in lots of countries...

Rook Zimbabwe · Post by **Rook Zimbabwe** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:08 pm

Yep... America is a democracy as long as the Republicans can rig the elections to put the biggest idiot in office...

By the way, have you seen the new Homeland Security uniforms? They are all black with a silver skull on the cap and a silver SS on each shoulder!

Kaeru Gaman · Post by **Kaeru Gaman** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:18 pm

oh, Ollivier... do you really believe that?

Homeland Security

...I just hesitated to ask if they already wear runes on their collars...

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:46 pm

Kaeru Gaman wrote:> what a sick, sad world.

pardon, it's US-America, not the whole world.

Not just the US.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/04/lo ... clare.html