Appeals court upholds border laptop searches

[thewayne]

*sigh*

So I guess the easiest thing to do if you're traveling to another country and returning is to replace your hard drive, fresh install the OS, install the minimum amount of programs and data that you need, and be ready to lose your equipment when you return to the good ol' U.S. of A.

From the article: In dissent, Judge Betty Fletcher wrote that the government should have had a better reason to search Cotterman other than him being a convicted in 1992 of child molestation.

“I add my voice to the chorus lamenting the apparent demise of the Fourth Amendment,” Fletcher wrote.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/04/border-search/

Comments

[silveradept]

Sounds like you should never take equipment out of the U.S. and buy something that's cloud-capable when you're abroad. That way, when it gets seized, you don't lose anything.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Clouds are becoming so common with DropBox and Amazon etc. that there's no reason not to do it except for available bandwidth limitations when you're traveling.

[silveradept]

Pretty much. And even then, if you've got the right kind of mobile, you can still do what you planned on doing on a properly-equipped phone. Probably one best bought in your location so that you can upload, wipe it, and then give it to someone as a gift when you return.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I think if I ever travel to Europe, I'll buy a cheap phone with a prepaid card and leave it at that. Lock up my personal cell phone in my car when I park it and leave it at that.

[silveradept]

Sounds about right. Will be less of a hassle to do it that way than to go through working with your carrier to get global access and the right kind of SIM card.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I figure work and family will know I'm going to Europe, I can give them a phone number for true emergencies and email for non-emergencies, and I'll have a local (or quasi-local) phone number for run of the mill needs. I see no need for smart phone capabilities, just buy a pay as you go when you get there.

[moiraj.livejournal.com]

Seriously? They're taking people's laptops? So when I go to the States this year, I should leave my computer behind? (Withdrawal will be certain.)

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

They CAN take your laptop, no guarantee they will. Basically they can inspect them with impunity, and if they want to, seize it for more detailed examination.

I'd do a solid backup, two would be better, then reformat and reinstall your operating system and the minimum of programs and data that you need. Obviously leave anything the least bit questionable behind. With you being a Canuck, I'd expect the chance of yours being searched to be minimal, as compared to someone coming in from Yemen or some place.

I've posted a few things on this: http://thewayne.livejournal.com/tag/laptop%20border%20search