US Gov can search your hard drive for no reason.

[Mark1031]

If you are at the boarder-link. Apparently the customs service has been stopping you and browsing your hard drive when you enter the country. What could possibly be the reason for this? Oh yeah, the one illegal thing that can be on a computer-kiddy porn. Well I suppose you could have terrorist plans as well. Between terrorism and kiddy porn I am just waiting for the day when going to the airport is like entering prison with full body cavity searches. After all you could have a roll of film up your butt. I don’t really care if they search my computer except for the stupidity and waste of $$ and delays is produces. What is the drive behind all this surveillance. It is really starting to creep me out.

 

[Abaddon]

It doesnt mean they will do it to most, but they don't want any excuses if they chose to reem you.

 

[Elrohir]

Can they search your bags or person?

If so, why is it so utterly ridiculous that they search your computer hard drive?

 

[Abaddon]

I imagine the time is the problem.

They will "confiscate" it, and you probably won't see it for months..

 

[Leonel]

Oh no! My stash of gay furry porn is in peril!

 

[Godwynn]

What about Jump Drives?

Surely if they can scan a HD, they can scan a JD.

 

[DNK]

I suppose it makes sense to apply existing laws on physical assets to digital ones.

In terms of privacy laws, there is no reason to expect a personal bag not to be searched by customs. Why would digital possessions be treated differently?

Now, if they keep an active record of what was in the bag, I'll be completely against it (assuming there was nothing illegal).

 

[woody60707]

Can they search your bags or person?

If so, why is it so utterly ridiculous that they search your computer hard drive?

What the reason for searching your bags before getting on a plane?

Whats the reason for search your computer?

 

[Zelig]

Sure, maybe they can legally search digital memory, but like the article hints at, if data is properly protected, it's impossible for anyone to technically do so.

 

[Mark1031]

Can they search your bags or person?

If so, why is it so utterly ridiculous that they search your computer hard drive?

Well one because of the time involved. A typical customs search is pretty quick and a lot uses drug/bomb sniffing dogs. A customs search is for a vast variety of things drugs $$, valuables vegetables etc. what could be on your computer that is illegal? There is only 1 thing I can think of and for that they can rummage through every picture on your computer? Can they read all your text files, financial records, and medical records? I’m sure there could be something illegal in there. It seems like an over invasion of privacy for a very limited purpose which the combo of terrorists and kiddy porn seem to be used for. I mean why not just use the resources for more of those MSNBC predator stings? They always seem to get a bunch of guys. Randomly searching hard drives at the boarder seems to be a bit stupid if the real purpose is catching pedos.

 

[Elrohir]

I didn't say they should. I agree that randomly searching computer hard drives is dumb.

 

[JollyRoger]

The RIAA is behind this.

 

[warpus]

My friend and I were crossing the border to the U.S. 2 months or so ago, and the lady at the checkpoint asked him to open the trunk.. she looked inside and asked him what "that little electronic device" was.

He said it was a harddrive. She asked him what was on it.

"Just my music"

"Have a nice day"

 

[GenMarshall]

Can they scan a HD that's been formatted so many times and had it's OS reinstalled many times?

 

[brennan]

Reformatting just overwrites the directory. Your information is still on the disc.

"...and the land of the free."

 

[GenMarshall]

Reformatting just overwrites the directory. Your information is still on the disc.

"...and the land of the free."

Not unless I plop in Ubuntu!

 

[brennan]

You have to overwrite the old files, and any temporary files created as your computer does it's stuff. Have you ever run defrag, data ends up all over the place?

 

[Arwon]

It always baffles me when people are so quick to defend these kinds of intrusions.

 

[scy12]

Some do want to make it Land of the unfree and most provide no resistance.

Here we see two crimes against Freedom.

The first is the search of any Hard drive , the act.
The second it the law it self being allowed to exist in a democracy
Do you want this ?

 

[Newbunkle]

If people support this, I'm sure they won't mind being stopped at random in the street for full body cavity searches. I mean, if they're not hiding anything, what's the problem?