Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border

by JeffHuang | August 1, 2008 at 12:54 pm

1514 views | 3 Recommendations | 32 comments

The last time I travelled was in April when I went to Boston. The baggage checks and metal detector lineups weren't as bad as I thought it would be. It was quite a hassle to take off your shoes and belt but what really got to me was having to take your laptop out of your bag and out of the protective case. With the amount of people unwrapping their laptops, taking clothing articles off, going through the detector, putting their clothes back on, shoes back on, and repackaging their laptop and their personal bags, the lineups can be quite long.

I am sure many of you all have horror airport security stories to tell, but I think many more people are about to have interesting stories to share under this DHS policy.

Federal agents may have the power to take a traveler's laptop or electronic device for however long they want no questions asked. They could also share the content they retrieve with other agencies.
I can just see the headline, "angry passengers misses flight due to laptop checkup, now sues _____"

Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.

Also, officials may share copies of the laptop's contents with other agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two DHS agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"The policies . . . are truly alarming," said Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), who is probing the government's border search practices. He said he intends to introduce legislation soon that would require reasonable suspicion for border searches, as well as prohibit profiling on race, religion or national origin.

I am sure people of certain race and relgious background are about to have their items rummaged through because of a "random check."

The policies state that officers may "detain" laptops "for a reasonable period of time" to "review and analyze information." This may take place "absent individualized suspicion."

The policies cover "any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form," including hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes. They also cover "all papers and other written documentation," including books, pamphlets and "written materials commonly referred to as 'pocket trash' or 'pocket litter.' "

I know this is all for "security" but maybe its going a little too far? Seems like we are slowly losing our rights and privacy. What do you all think, is this necessary for our safety? or its another scheme to blame something on terrorism in order to keep an eye on everybody.

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sanfrankenny

at 15:20 on August 1st, 2008

Photo of a cellphone, it's a 3d anaglyph.

sanfrankenny has contributed a photo to this story.

Sebastián-Dario

at 16:24 on August 1st, 2008

Motorola ROKR E1

Sebastián-Dario has contributed a photo to this story.

A is for Alison

at 19:08 on August 1st, 2008

motorola dolce & Gabbana ROCKS!

A is for Alison has contributed a photo to this story.

Martijn13

at 23:14 on August 1st, 2008

This is my blue iPod nano, I bought him 2 years ago and I love him very much. It has a amazing sound.

Martijn13 has contributed a photo to this story.

jojothepotato

at 23:32 on August 1st, 2008

Je ne sais trop quoi dire à part que c'est mon ipod donc mon mp3 que c'est un ipod première génération de 1go blanc et que cela me suffit.

jojothepotato has contributed a photo to this story.

Paschen

at 23:46 on August 1st, 2008

How come that editors and NW post are always field up with those Picture comments and Endless Pics? Oh the Points I suppose! Now I get it!

Aurelien

at 00:20 on August 2nd, 2008

Family shot of a pink iPod nano (2nd gen) and a pink iPod shuffle. Shot outside, no artificial light, short depth of field (18-55).

Aurelien has contributed a photo to this story.

xxgigi

at 01:01 on August 2nd, 2008

i love my iPods.
my 1st one, I just call her iPod [myMini]
my 2nd one, giPod [myVideo]
my 3rd one, gPod [myTouch]
i love naming my gadgets. LOL

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scc6

at 01:49 on August 2nd, 2008

They took my M key.

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Aftermath1

at 02:24 on August 2nd, 2008

This is my very old and rugged ipod video, I found it in a cupboard of mine the other night and thought it was broken all these months, but I set it up with my macbook and it worked fine!

Aftermath1 has contributed a photo to this story.

Ricardo Saffi Marques

at 02:49 on August 2nd, 2008

Macbook Pro side-by-side with an old Powerbook 230.

Ricardo Saffi Marques has contributed a photo to this story.

MAG..

at 04:04 on August 2nd, 2008

"focusing" on my desktop and totally "ignoring" my TV ;p!!

MAG.. has contributed a photo to this story.

ChrisChampion

at 04:34 on August 2nd, 2008

This OLPC was shown to Keystones Technology Integrators - a group of the 100 best educators in Pennsylvania. http://www.keystonespa.org/

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Fusel_HG

at 04:52 on August 2nd, 2008

I never leave house without a pair of fruit pieces...

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.Allan.

at 05:54 on August 2nd, 2008

Took this picture a few months ago.
The cel isn't broke , that's only photoshop
Hope you liked

Allan Louros - São Paulo - Brazil
www.flickr.com/afl

.Allan. has contributed a photo to this story.

Jordan Yerman

at 06:41 on August 2nd, 2008

It's not the equivalent of the TSA rooting through your luggage... it's more like they're rooting through your house and opening your mail. Not relevant to security.

Personally, it puts me off traveling to the USA for remote work (and I'm an American citizen!), since I don't want to get stuck between border agents and my employer, since my laptop has material that could be considered privileged company info, and we have no reason to believe that the data actually gets treated the way the TSA says it does. My olive-tinged complexion and permanent five-o'clock shadow add up to a "random" search maybe half of the times I enter the US; it's been happening for years.

winkydo

at 07:26 on August 2nd, 2008

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yujinee

at 08:12 on August 2nd, 2008

After finishing up a huge project, I got my boss back with the leftovers. *muhaha*

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Blumes

at 08:17 on August 2nd, 2008

It seems as if all this airport security doesn't even make air travel safer, just more of an ordeal.

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§§Kat§§

at 08:41 on August 2nd, 2008

well I was waiting to my internet connection works and for some minutes it didn't want to, so I turn on the camera and seeing the photos token I saw the laptop and I took the picture
for me is a great macro. wit a glass 18 - 55"
I love this color results

§§Kat§§ has contributed a photo to this story.

tungs

at 09:25 on August 2nd, 2008

I was chatting with a friend of mine in relax mood.
Around, Marie Antoniette soundtrack.
Outside a storm.
In front of me, my personal acquarious.

sam mccartney

at 11:57 on August 2nd, 2008

We gotta use tecnology to spread knowdlege. And it's of everyone's knowdlege (or at least should be) the fact that everybody lies.

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rjmackay

at 14:33 on August 2nd, 2008

While all this security may be a little nutty - I've long since stopped assuming any of my data is private... If I have anything I want private I'll encrypt it otherwise I assume its free for all.
I'd happily publish my back statements online though - but thats just me - I have very little to hide.

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ntercity

at 15:20 on August 2nd, 2008

One of dewd's lap. 1st barcampmalaysia, held in Kuala Lumpur @ July2008.

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DustinDylan

at 15:40 on August 2nd, 2008

i took that razr foto

maxtor9085

at 17:55 on August 2nd, 2008

ipod touch

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mikelietz

at 18:37 on August 3rd, 2008

Last time I traveled I had no trouble with my laptop, ipod, and pocketPC. I did, however, need to empty my water bottle. Pictured are also other palm pilots and mp3/4 players I have.

mikelietz has contributed a photo to this story.