Comments on: LAX can search your laptop, no reason needed http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:12:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Anonymous http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7291 Anonymous Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:21:13 +0000 http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7291 Use encryption. That's why god invented it. Use encryption. That’s why god invented it.

]]> By: joe http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7263 joe Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:49:12 +0000 http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7263 I see the arguments for and against. It is the equivelant of reading your diary, all your literature, something totalitarian regimes have long done at borders to try to gauge the politics of visitors. Journalists will be sensitive to this ruling for special reasons too. In some states, journalist's computers enjoy hightened protections. For instance in Connecticut, you have to to show probable cause that a journalist's computer, or notes, were used in the commission of a crime, and get a court warrant to take a peek into it. At the border, another story. Another indicator that journalists should keep any shred of confidential material off their computers, especially the names of anonymous stources. I see the arguments for and against.

It is the equivelant of reading your diary, all your literature, something totalitarian regimes have long done at borders to try to gauge the politics of visitors.

Journalists will be sensitive to this ruling for special reasons too. In some states, journalist’s computers enjoy hightened protections. For instance in Connecticut, you have to to show probable cause that a journalist’s computer, or notes, were used in the commission of a crime, and get a court warrant to take a peek into it.

At the border, another story.

Another indicator that journalists should keep any shred of confidential material off their computers, especially the names of anonymous stources.

]]> By: CarlosVasquez http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7254 CarlosVasquez Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:43:14 +0000 http://www.popandpolitics.com/2008/04/22/lax-can-search-your-laptop-no-reason-needed/#comment-7254 I’m not sure why this is surprising. Custom agents at airports regularly search suitcases, sifting through all sorts of unmentionables which could possibly be embarrassing to the owner in search of contraband. No suspicious activity is required. Computers, like luggage, can carry contraband. Why be upset about one and not the other? It is, though, yet another reason to avoid air travel. I’m not sure why this is surprising. Custom agents at airports regularly search suitcases, sifting through all sorts of unmentionables which could possibly be embarrassing to the owner in search of contraband. No suspicious activity is required. Computers, like luggage, can carry contraband. Why be upset about one and not the other? It is, though, yet another reason to avoid air travel.

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