Comments on: Laptops and PDAs may be detained at the border http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/your-electronic-devices-including-your-laptops-may-be-detained-at-the-border/ The last honest travel site Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kirill Furman http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/your-electronic-devices-including-your-laptops-may-be-detained-at-the-border/comment-page-1/#comment-5002 Kirill Furman Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:35:57 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5136#comment-5002 We have to stop the expanding government attack on our privacy. It has nothing to do with terrorism. It is just another stupid idea generated inside DHS paid by our taxes. Anybody who feels that this policy is ridiculous should do class action against it. We have to stop the expanding government attack on our privacy.
It has nothing to do with terrorism. It is just another stupid idea generated inside DHS paid by our taxes.

Anybody who feels that this policy is ridiculous should do class action against it.

]]> By: bruce king http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/your-electronic-devices-including-your-laptops-may-be-detained-at-the-border/comment-page-1/#comment-4990 bruce king Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:05:38 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5136#comment-4990 Seizure without reasonable cause and retain for an indefinite time? What country is this again? Seizure without reasonable cause and retain for an indefinite time? What country is this again?

]]> By: Hapgood http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/your-electronic-devices-including-your-laptops-may-be-detained-at-the-border/comment-page-1/#comment-4989 Hapgood Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:57:58 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5136#comment-4989 The hopeful thing here is that, unlike most "security" measures that affect ordinary sheeple who have no recourse when their liberty or privacy are trampled, this one is likely to affect business people who could be politically well-connected. All it takes is for one lobbyist or donor to have a laptop seized, and Congress will finally rouse from its torpor. While Customs and Homeland Security surely need the power to interdict suspected terrorists, the unlimited authority to arbitrarily confiscate electronic devices (the policy announcement makes no mention at all of returning the property to people deemed innocent) and conduct open-ended fishing expeditions for any possible violation goes well beyond "protecting the borders." How does a nation whose officials have this authority really differ from the former Soviet Union or any other totalitarian regime? I hope Congress acts to stop this abuse, although their track record of kowtowing to every "security" whim of the Bush administration isn't encouraging. The hopeful thing here is that, unlike most “security” measures that affect ordinary sheeple who have no recourse when their liberty or privacy are trampled, this one is likely to affect business people who could be politically well-connected. All it takes is for one lobbyist or donor to have a laptop seized, and Congress will finally rouse from its torpor.

While Customs and Homeland Security surely need the power to interdict suspected terrorists, the unlimited authority to arbitrarily confiscate electronic devices (the policy announcement makes no mention at all of returning the property to people deemed innocent) and conduct open-ended fishing expeditions for any possible violation goes well beyond “protecting the borders.”

How does a nation whose officials have this authority really differ from the former Soviet Union or any other totalitarian regime? I hope Congress acts to stop this abuse, although their track record of kowtowing to every “security” whim of the Bush administration isn’t encouraging.

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