U.S. agents can seize travelers' laptops: report

[loco]

August 1, 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. federal agents have been given new powers to seize travelers' laptops and other electronic devices at the border and hold them for unspecified periods the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Under recently disclosed Department of Homeland Security policies, such seizures may be carried out without suspicion of wrongdoing, the newspaper said, quoting policies issued on July 16 by two DHS agencies.

Agents are empowered to share the contents of seized computers with other agencies and private entities for data decryption and other reasons, the newspaper said.

DHS officials said the policies applied to anyone entering the country, including U.S. citizens, and were needed to prevent terrorism.

The measures have long been in place but were only disclosed in July, under pressure from civil liberties and business travel groups acting on reports that increasing numbers of international travelers had had their laptops, cellphones and other digital devices removed and examined.

The policies cover hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes -- as well as books, pamphlets and other written materials, the report said.

The policies require federal agents to take measures to protect business information and attorney-client privileged material. They stipulate that any copies of the data must be destroyed when a review is completed and no probable cause exists to keep the information

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080801/tc_nm/usa_security_laptops_dc;_ylt=AsCmyrAl8hPTQg.MhrhoNRcDW7oF

[MRDUMPLING]

That's pretty scary...and people say our rights aren't being taken away as we speak.

[Eyeball Chambers]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution


I lost my Fourth Amendment rights, but I did save a whole lot of money on my taxes by electing a Neo Con!

[24KT]

I can see a HUGE ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC firestorm surrounding this if they start doing this en masse. Can you picture the nightmare this would create when business travellers flying in for business have their laptops and/or documents randomly seized? 

I've seen them examining laptops for years, requesting permission to dust them for the presence of residue from b omb making materials, ...but I've always suspected they were simply collecting DNA samples.

[Hugo Chavez]

I can see a HUGE ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC firestorm surrounding this if they start doing this en masse. Can you picture the nightmare this would create when business travellers flying in for business have their laptops and/or documents randomly seized? 

I've seen them examining laptops for years, requesting permission to dust them for the presence of residue from b omb making materials, ...but I've always suspected they were simply collecting DNA samples.

wrong, they've been doing it for a while now and keeping them without much of a bitch.  I've heard of several people losing their laptops.  I remember one businessman who had lost his laptop several times and started having an real issue with it do to the fact he just started assuming it was a no go to travel overseas and work along the way not to mention losing important business related files.  Stories of this aren't new and we've never heard a major fuss over it and we never will.

[headhuntersix]

I travel with mine and I start flying again next wednesday...its their laptop anyway (gov) but i'd be beyond pissed. Now that u mentioned this, mine will get taken, thanks Hugo.

[Dos Equis]

Don't agree with this (at least as it applies to U.S. citizens).

[24KT]

wrong, they've been doing it for a while now and keeping them without much of a bitch.  I've heard of several people losing their laptops.  I remember one businessman who had lost his laptop several times and started having an real issue with it do to the fact he just started assuming it was a no go to travel overseas and work along the way not to mention losing important business related files.  Stories of this aren't new and we've never heard a major fuss over it and we never will.

The operative words in my comment were 'en masse'

[OzmO]

If you aren't a terrorist what do you have to worry about?
 

[24KT]

If you aren't a terrorist what do you have to worry about?
 

Losing all your business documents, your inability to conduct your business (the very purpose of your trip),
...and worse of all, ...some of the guys who post on Getbig would lose access to their porn. 

[Eyeball Chambers]

Don't agree with this (at least as it applies to U.S. citizens).

Good to hear! 

[Hugo Chavez]

The operative words in my comment were 'en masse'

en masse isn't the important point here.  that's not likely to happen and by the time it gets around to that, we're way past the point of return.  This has been happening for a while now and should have people pissed as though it were happening to everyone.

[Hugo Chavez]

I travel with mine and I start flying again next wednesday...its their laptop anyway (gov) but i'd be beyond pissed. Now that u mentioned this, mine will get taken, thanks Hugo.

I'm not sure I get it.

[Moosejay]

I say seize away.

[youandme]

More power to them.

Once they see the porn on my PC, and let me pass...the faster they can seize Mohammed Audbar Rasosh's computer that contains outlines on a dirty bomb.

[tonymctones]

who doesnt back up their shit on a thumb drive? Come the fuk on if i have something even remotely important its on my pc, external hard drive and a thumb drive if im traveling. This is just poor planning although it would suck to have a lap top confiscated it shouldnt mean the end of a trip only a minor hiccup. Id rather them confiscate a few lap tops then get blown up in mid air.

[Hugo Chavez]

I say seize away.

seize what?

[Hugo Chavez]

More power to them.

Once they see the porn on my PC, and let me pass...the faster they can seize Mohammed Audbar Rasosh's computer that contains outlines on a dirty bomb.

thanks for the seirous contribution to the thread

[Hugo Chavez]

who doesnt back up their shit on a thumb drive? Come the fuk on if i have something even remotely important its on my pc, external hard drive and a thumb drive if im traveling. This is just poor planning although it would suck to have a lap top confiscated it shouldnt mean the end of a trip only a minor hiccup. Id rather them confiscate a few lap tops then get blown up in mid air.

True, why would I give a shit about my 2000.00 laptop being seized when I have it backed up on a 150.00 western digital

[headhuntersix]

I would kindly ask them to please racially profile so I can get my shit back....Hugo I'd be very pissed.

[kh300]

i dont like it. its too vague. to be honest i havnt even been told about this, and im not taking anyones laptop anyways, im giving it to the FBI

[Quickerblade]

some of the guys who post on Getbig would lose access to their porn. 

thats me.

[Hugo Chavez]

i dont like it. its too vague. to be honest i havnt even been told about this, and im not taking anyones laptop anyways, im giving it to the FBI

huh?

[kh300]

huh?

if i see a suspicious person that has a laptop im not touching it. im handing it to the FBI. thats not my expertise.

i was just pointing out that im not sure which agents in DHS they're giving this power to.

[Hugo Chavez]

Very strange, they're reporting this as a new development on the news.  It's not new, it's been going on for a while.  I have heard several stories of this happening quite a while ago.  I remember one story and it's been a while where one businessman was very disgruntled at after having lost his laptop more than once.  I guess this is what we get for letting bullshit stories about Paris Hilton and other stupid crap dominate the media.  The only reason this stuff makes it into the news today?  I guess there wasn't enough sensational bullshit to cover