Did US Customs copy the contents of your laptop yet?

Hi folks,

These days it seems that privacy means nothing to some governments:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2321758,00.asp

It also seems that when a government frightens its citizens enough, people are willing to give up their constitutional rights. Amazing isn't it, or is it?

Bart

Interesting article, it looks like the Supreme Court has ruled on this in times where there was no argument about "governments frightening its citizens". So I would say this is an established area of law and freedoms are not being withdrawn in a percieved power-grab.

As stated in the article, traveling abroad has its risks - when you are outside of the USA, our constitution does not apply. Something I have not given enough thought to in light of this story!

The end of the article seems to imply that if you encrypt and secure your hard drive, they can't force you to give them the keys (password) to copy it. Still, I'm sure you would be in for an unpleasant travelling experience until this gets worked through better...

Customs

I just went through Customs this week. They said "Welcome, Home!"
In Heathrow, where they are most strict, they did not make me even take my laptop out. We had an article in the paper today about confiscation. So what it tells me is to keep my portable hard drives separate from the laptop and separate from the Compact Flash. No big deal. I am not travelling with top secret information.

I think the press is making something of something that is a rare occurrance.

Kathy Rappaport said:

I am not travelling with top secret information.

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How do you know, isn't the government deciding which information is vital and which is not? You are restating the nonsensical 'If you do not have to hide something ...' argument. Individual privacy is not at the discretion of the government - well, not if it is a democratic government of an open and free society.

Many people in Germany [and other countries at slightly later points in history] had nothing to hide on 29th January 1933. Guess what happened to their non-secrets just a day later ...

The big difference between stupidity of individuals and governMENTAL interference in regard to provacy is that every individual has the right to make himself the butt of a joke*, but no authority has any right to make the same. My privacy is my decision, not theirs.



PS: I am aware of several pertaining facts, like non-US citizens do not have all the rights of the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights [though it turns out they do have a bit of protection]. Clearly there are also cases in which information about somebody cannot be held private even if the person wants it [think of criminals]. And there are those cases where a tit-for-tat comes in.




*This is may answer to those claiming that people already publicise their privates on-line, thorugh so-called 'social networks'.

Dierk Haasis said:

Individual privacy is not at the discretion of the government - well, not if it is a democratic government of an open and free society.

Many people in Germany [and other countries at slightly later points in history] had nothing to hide on 29th January 1933. Guess what happened to their non-secrets just a day later ...

Click to expand...

Exactly the reason I raised this topic. Lessons from that period seem to be forgotten already ...

Just to raise awareness (and on a 'somewhat' lighter note than WW II):
BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

Don't Talk to the Police" by Professor James Duane
Don't Talk to the Police" by Officer George Bruch

People are tricked/scared into giving up their rights (from protection from the govenrment!).

And to make the link to photography, this thread at DPR FWIW might interest our Street Photography audience in particular, and others shooting in public places in general.

Be aware, and enjoy.

Bart

not that rare

Kathy Rappaport said:

I just went through Customs this week. They said "Welcome, Home!"
In Heathrow, where they are most strict, they did not make me even take my laptop out. We had an article in the paper today about confiscation. So what it tells me is to keep my portable hard drives separate from the laptop and separate from the Compact Flash. No big deal. I am not travelling with top secret information.

I think the press is making something of something that is a rare occurrance.

Click to expand...

In that article the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) ... says that, "Approximately 7 percent of ACTE members have had their laptops seized at the border, according to a February (2008) study conducted by the association."

7% is not a rare occurrance, 1/10 of 1% is a rare occurrance. American freedoms are being eroded and all people seem to say is, "Oh well, that's the price you have to pay for security". I mean, the article says they could just as easily take all of your flash cards and hold them indefinately. That $6000 trip you just made to shoot photos for a client is now somewhere in a government office waiting to be inspected while you are trying to figure out how to tell the client that it's not a problem because it's for the better good.

Charles Lupica said:

[A]ll people seem to say is, "Oh well, that's the price you have to pay for security".

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Some not too suspicious sources on this matter:

He that would exchange liberty for temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety. [Benjamin Franklin]

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. [Benjamin Franklin]

Those who are ready to sacrifice freedom for security ultimately will lose both. [Abraham Lincoln]

Anyone who fails to criticize his government is servile and morally treasonable in his actions. [Theodore Roosevelt]

To question your government is not unpatriotic - to not question your government is unpatriotic. [Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel]


Oh, let's not forget who was seen as terrorists by the government of their respective countries - George Washington, Nelson Mandela, William Wallace, Georg Elser, von Stauffenberg. Just imagine what they could have achieved with notebooks ...