Attention, everyone who enters the US (including US citizens):

[sylvar]

Homeland Security now claims the right to search and make permanent copies of "any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form", even if they don't suspect you of anything.

That includes cell phones, books, diaries, laptops, journals, iPods, flash drives, and pocket trash.

If you absolutely have to come to the US, make sure you're bringing nothing that you wouldn't want to see copied in its entirety and spread around to other departments for decryption, translation, and analysis.

Nakashima, Ellen. "Travelers' laptops may be detained at border". Washington Post, August 1, 2008, p. A01.

Comments

[magnoliafly.livejournal.com]

I guess they might get pissed if they make a copy and a virus pops out and infiltrates their systems huh.

Oh and You should watch this.

[ratcliffe1963.livejournal.com]

oh that would not be good. they would probably claim you had planned to plant it on U.S. networks ...

[penguinicity.livejournal.com]

So, did they get a blanket license from the MPAA for copying and storing your legally obtained music, or do you think they pay them by the file?

[ratcliffe1963.livejournal.com]

It's the guvvenment, you think they care? lol

[songdancer.livejournal.com]

Oh, gads....

[stonegargoyle.livejournal.com]

This is not new, It's bin around a wile. It was set up so they dint keep your stuff as long. As it stands they can hold any electronic device for as long as it takes. The making copies was so they did not have to hold on to your stuff as long, if they dint want to.

[sylvar.livejournal.com]

Yes, but now it's official policy.

[ximinez]

http://www.truecrypt.com does whole-drive encryption. With a good password, brute-force decryption it will take approximately until the heat death of the universe.

Now if only they made a version for PalmOS...

[knobody.livejournal.com]

when they figure out how to make a copy of my brain, i'd like to know about it. i really could use a good off-site back-up before i completely lose it.

[quaryn-dk.livejournal.com]

Note to self: offload and hard-delete porn from laptop before travelling.

[ratcliffe1963.livejournal.com]

not sure you need to worry about that as long as it is legal porn. They can't do anything about it, but they probably make copies of all of it to watch on their coffee breaks ...

[sylvar.livejournal.com]

Or use TrueCrypt. It's thought to be pretty damn strong -- strong enough to stay encrypted as long as you're likely to live, anyway.

The problem is, of course, you have no idea what crypto tech other people have now or will have in the future. Or how much brute force computing they can throw at it.

[ratcliffe1963.livejournal.com]

"Customs Deputy Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern said the efforts "do not infringe on Americans' privacy." In a statement submitted to Feingold for a June hearing on the issue, he noted that the executive branch has long had "plenary authority to conduct routine searches and seizures at the border without probable cause or a warrant" to prevent drugs and other contraband from entering the country."

Yeah like they are going to find drugs by rifling through my cell phone. Sounds like Bush (note the specific comment about the executive branch) has decided to just extend his powers arbitrarily yet again. Sigh.