Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed suit against the department of Customs and Boarder Protection for "lengthy questioning and intrusive searchers." There have been many instances where Customs has gone into people's personal computer and even made people tell them their passwords to get into their computer. I think that is too far! There is too much personal information stored on computer such as bank records, personal photos, personal e-mail and even financial information for different companies. I read an article on CNN about an individual who has flown into the states and on five different occasions the Customs officials have gone through his laptop. It just happens to be that he is of Pakistani background and he think that is why he is being searched so many times. He is an IT consultant who travels around the world and could have very sensitive information on his computer. I think that Customs should stop these searches. They do not have the right to go into someone's personal computer. They have all the right to look at it and make sure it's not a bomb and look through all the luggage, but once you have logged on to the computer, I believe they have gone too far. I hope this man wins this suit, and Customs stops the practice of going through computers and other media devices.
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I hope they get sued for all they're worth. The information on someone's personal computer is in no way a direct threat to security, the way a bomb would be, and you're completely right in saying that it invades his personal privacy. I can't stand how big brother like our world is becoming.
I wondering though, can you create a bomb inside of a computer and detonate it by accessing it? I mean they've made bombs out of liquid which is why we can't have more than a sanwhich bag of creams or liquids....
if thats the case then random searches may be justified...although i don't know how that would work because if that was possible it would explode in the airport and if it didn't i still don't think anyone other than a computer hacker would be smart enough to find something like that in a persons computer....
i think i need more information on why they feel they need to do this
Those custom guys were in violation of the Fourth Amendment regardless. They should've waited for a warrant or backed off.
From what I've read, the man in question had no criminal record and wasn't on parole; Customs had no right to hack the man's computer.
It's my understanding that they make you take out your computer, wait for it to turn on, and then press a button to make sure it's not a device.
I'd like to see some proof or reasoning if they're actually making people type in passwords.
Sounds a little...
eh.
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You are the Voice of the Childwen of the Revowution! [Toulouse, Moulin Rouge]
Um, they can't force someone to give up their password, that's illegal.
well tell that to the guy they did it to. I will try and find the article and post it.
http://digits2006.blogspot.com/