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Laptops across the border searched and copied by swisscheese 2008-02-13 10:07:51
I just heard some troubling interviews on the CBC morning program this morning.

Even if you are an American returning home, your laptop, Blackberry and cellphone may be taken and perused, and the entire contents copied. What happens to the copied data is unclear.

Not just non-caucasian non-christian "ordinary" travelers are being subjected to these searches. An organization representing corporate executive travelers is complaining about this too. Legal firms here in Canada (and also the US?), are now making sure that laptop computers (and Blackberries) are automatically wiped clean before crossing the US-Canada border, to counter US search practices. This is highly inconvenient, but necessary to preserve client confidentiality.

Apparently if you are non-caucasian or non-christian, the odds of having your personal electronics ransacked are even higher.

There is a case in the US courts (still wending it's way through the appeals process) over whether people can be compelled to hand over passwords used for access control and encryption. Apparently, the US gov is arguing that searching a laptop is no different than searching a suitcase. So far at least one judge has disagreed with this. There are also 5th Amendment implications.

[ Reply ]
  Ok, I'm really starting to feel like- by hax80r2008-02-13 10:10:31
    Yup! Ain't the Republicans great? by themadkansan2008-02-13 11:30:35
      More of the same :P by subbywan2008-02-13 11:45:58
  So... Don't travel with laptops. by Havoc2008-02-13 10:11:07
    But why should we have to to that? (n/t) by hax80r2008-02-13 10:12:37
    Why should checked luggage be better? by dmmcf2008-02-13 10:22:54
      They aren't searching or duplicating by Havoc2008-02-13 10:29:55
        and you know this how? by swisscheese2008-02-13 10:43:39
    Why would USB keys be safe? by tallastro2008-02-13 10:25:28
      Individual rights vs collective security by run.dll2008-02-13 11:31:34
    I use my laptop for processing digital photos by Hieraco2008-02-13 10:38:53
      Oh yeah, these searches include cameras, too by swisscheese2008-02-13 10:47:05
        Proof? There is none. Where did you hear all thi by Havoc2008-02-13 11:23:58
          It's getting to be common knowledge, here... by swisscheese2008-02-13 12:53:55
          This should get you started by swisscheese2008-02-13 12:55:36
            Precious little about non-muslims or caucasians. by Havoc2008-02-13 13:03:26
              a couple of points by swisscheese2008-02-13 13:27:20
                CBC website had nothing on it. by Havoc2008-02-13 13:47:25
          Checked luggage IS SEARCHED. by abaron2008-02-13 14:16:58
            It's also why they say "Don't lock your case, or by subbywan2008-02-13 14:20:42
    So if you want to work on a proposal by Silverfire2008-02-13 10:45:29
      Turns out it's a moot question by Havoc2008-02-13 11:27:28
        Is CNN "real news"? by imWACC02008-02-13 12:21:32
    not always possible. by morenna2008-02-13 10:58:34
      Remember, there's already questions about misuse by swisscheese2008-02-13 11:09:35
  Pffft... Terminal services Client and VPN ftw! (n/ (n/t) by Tyop2008-02-13 10:12:21
    Computing is coming full circle :-) by Peace_man2008-02-13 10:18:17
      Will the circle... be unbroken... by Phoon2008-02-13 10:24:51
      True. by Tyop2008-02-13 10:30:10
        Heh. One of the most important diagnostic tools by Peace_man2008-02-13 10:37:25
    ack! by ParityBit2008-02-13 12:46:56
  I have a large issue with this in that the info by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 10:16:47
    The US Senate is sending a clear message by Peace_man2008-02-13 10:21:05
      I understand this message by cloudboy2008-02-13 10:25:06
        Agreed, as I said above, people need to stop by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 10:29:22
          But, the majorita of USians WANT to be sheeple. by Klaranth2008-02-13 10:34:42
            surveillance cameras and reading data on a laptop by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 10:46:47
        And the message is: Terrorist win! by Hieraco2008-02-13 10:43:47
          And do they REALLY think that terrorists can be by Klaranth2008-02-13 10:48:28
            It's not about terrorism at all. by lheggland2008-02-13 10:51:27
      That is an applles and Oranges argument by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 10:41:25
        I don't think so Jon. by Peace_man2008-02-13 10:51:16
          Youu need to research where and what the by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 11:53:05
        Bush ordered the illegal wiretaps by wabbit652008-02-13 11:06:15
          Were they ever declared illegal? by DesertRat662008-02-13 11:14:17
            By definition by wabbit652008-02-13 11:23:19
              OK by your definition illegal by DesertRat662008-02-13 12:06:00
              Incorrect, Congress was notified of the by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 12:12:03
                The way I understand it is they are illegal until by subbywan2008-02-13 12:14:40
                  I have a training to do right now but look up the by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 12:18:25
                Initially by wabbit652008-02-13 12:54:45
                  Incorrect again, they are only required to by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 13:22:11
                    How does Congess' inaction make something by tallastro2008-02-13 14:07:09
                      Read up on Executive orders and you will see by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 14:57:49
                    Did you miss the part by wabbit652008-02-13 18:43:41
          Bush ordered allegedly illegal wiretaps. by lheggland2008-02-13 11:19:51
    They can also see your suitcase. by Havoc2008-02-13 10:35:51
      If you say, "no" to them opening the by Classic_Jon2008-02-13 10:56:28
  remind me to encrypt my laptop's hard drive... (n/ (n/t) by Freakazoid2008-02-13 10:18:56
    TrueCrypt FTW. (n/t) by Phoon2008-02-13 10:21:15
      Definitely TrueCrypt 5.0 by sysangel2008-02-13 10:35:12
        I was thinking hidden volumes, actually. (n/t) by Phoon2008-02-13 10:59:59
          Now you just being paranoid by sysangel2008-02-13 12:02:34
            There's a specific reason. by Phoon2008-02-13 12:58:04
  I've seen several stories about this recently. by AndyA2008-02-13 10:20:53
  That brings up a question... by kc5sdy2008-02-13 10:21:59
    No, they just look in the bag and zap it. by AndyA2008-02-13 10:29:08
      But then you have to label the DVD. by run.dll2008-02-13 15:07:29
    Put the drive in your coat pocket by Hieraco2008-02-13 10:34:04
      wouldn't work at an airport... by deadweasle2008-02-13 10:52:15
  iPods make great external storage. by kelli2172008-02-13 10:34:29
    Sssh. Next time you have to wipe your iPOD by Klaranth2008-02-13 10:51:01
      Oh noes! by run.dll2008-02-13 11:38:05
    actually, those are getting searched too, already (n/t) by swisscheese2008-02-13 11:13:04
      And if... by kelli2172008-02-13 14:26:39
        with *their* docking cable. (n/t) by morenna2008-02-13 17:57:48
  I see a real problem here and it might affect me. by vampire2008-02-13 10:35:40
    Do they also do it with all those people by Klaranth2008-02-13 10:42:22
      I suspect that it's done very selectively. by run.dll2008-02-13 11:35:37
        well, randomly, anyways :P by swisscheese2008-02-13 11:46:13
    Wait for your laptop to get grabbed and copied by subbywan2008-02-13 11:36:32
  LOL! Canada does the same thing by Havoc2008-02-13 11:18:06
    There is proof, but it's not the same thing by swisscheese2008-02-13 11:39:17
      Ditto the TSA or american border guards by Havoc2008-02-13 11:49:57
        Nothing credible? by vdp2008-02-13 11:54:33
          Hmmm, interesting, but not problematic by Havoc2008-02-13 12:48:20
            As for racial profiling by Havoc2008-02-13 12:55:17
  Lappies across the border o/` by hobbs2008-02-13 12:12:47
  I'll have to ask our techs who cross that border. by kahuana2008-02-13 18:14:58
  Solution: Windows partition by Control2008-02-13 21:46:09

 

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