Anyone travelling to the US with computer kit? Then read this...

[alreadypacked]

Why bother searching laptops at borders when anything incriminating can be sent encrypted or "steganographically" via FTP, or just smuggled in on memory sticks?

I don't think they are looking for the incriminating material, they are looking for people with incriminating material.

[xoggoth]

I would think, conjecturing, (having no idea obviously) that, possibly, it would seem reasonable, maybe, not that I'd know, Im only supposing of course, it would be easier, perhaps, in less regulated countries. Complete geusswork obviously.

[OwlHoot]

Most would avoid conjectures on kiddie porn lest it reveals too much knowledge. Saves having to put I should think, brackets too.

Not sure what you're suggesting, if anything; but I'll rephrase my post, lest anyone reading too much into it reveals too much knowledge.

It's no secret that the US generates the vast majority of the world's porn.

So it is a reasonable conjecture (not requiring "too much knowledge") that kiddie porn follows suit.

HTH

[xoggoth]

Most would avoid conjectures on kiddie porn lest it reveals too much knowledge. Saves having to put I should think, brackets too.

[OwlHoot]

Why bother searching laptops at borders when anything incriminating can be sent encrypted or "steganographically" via FTP, or just smuggled in on memory sticks?

And if they're worried about people importing kiddie porn, I should think (if adult porn is anything to go by) the vast majority of it originates in the US itself!

[OwlHoot]

Why bother searching laptops at borders when anything incriminating can be sent encrypted or "steganographically" via FTP, or just smuggled in on memory sticks?

[AtW]

At least in the USA they won't jail you for not being able to reveal password to encrypted data because you've forgotten it or just refuse to act in a way that may self incriminate you. In the UK that's jail time...

[NotAllThere]

British customs and excise have been able to search you and your positions for years. They can, IIRC, also enter your house without a warrant.

[centurian]

It's more of a bigger deal in the US itself - as the US constitution explicitly prohibits unreasonable search and seizure.

It most other countries, there's a lower level of "rights" afforded, so this wouldn't be a shock.

[AtW]

And you think the same isn't done in other countries?

[Sysman]

US Appeals Court Strengthens Warrantless Searches at Border

The authorities may seize laptops, cameras and other digital devices at the U.S. border without a warrant, and scour through them for days hundreds of miles away, a federal appeals court ruled.

The 2-1 decision (.pdf) Wednesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes as the government is increasingly invoking its broad, warrantless search-and-seizure powers at the U.S. border to probe the digital lives of travelers.

Under the “border search exception” of United States law, international travelers, including U.S. citizens, can be searched without a warrant as they enter the country. Under the Obama administration, law enforcement agents have aggressively used this power to search travelers’ laptops, sometimes copying the hard drive before returning the computer to its owner.

Courts have ruled that such laptop searches can take place even in the absence of any reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing, and more than 6,500 persons have had their electronic devices searched in this manner since October 2008.