US Agents Can Seize Laptops at Border

[Lucky_star]

In a move sure to agitate privacy advocates, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed last week that federal agents have now been given the power to seize and detain laptops and certain other electronics without any suspicion of wrongdoing during a border search. In addition, agents can hold these devices for unspecified periods of time, and share data from the laptop with other agencies.

The reasoning behind these decisions is clear to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, as shown in a piece published last month in USA Today. "...the most dangerous contraband is often contained in laptop computers or other electronic devices."

[Source]

So next time you come from US or move there, think twice before taking any electronic gadgets like mobile phone, MP3 players, Laptops with you. You may end up having all those electronic stuff seized without any reason.

[goobimama]

Where is that cloud computing when you need it! Oh yes, it is already there. There's a fat chance a terrorist is going to roam around with an unencrypted laptop loaded with terrorising goodies.

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Or maybe they mean they store dangerous physical parts inside a notebook. Silly me.

[MetalheadGautham]

as I always said before, US is not at all as safe as it was back in 1998.

[freshseasons]

Incase they seize our laptops , are we allowed to backup our Porn just in case ?

[Lucky_star]

do these federal guys think that those people whom they are targeting will be such foolish enough to carry their activity information in their laptops?