Clean you Laptops, double check them up before leaving
August 31, 2009 by Milo Riano
Filed under Computers
If you want to be safe, if you want your laptop or electronic gears be returned to you, make sure you clean them up and double check them before leaving your home.
People are objecting to the new rules of the Obama administration on the border laptop searches which is similar to the Bush administration policy. In the Bush administration, Homeland Security Department are allowed to seize traveler’s laptops and other digital gears with no question and no guarantee of return and no explanation when remained unreturned.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has issued a new directive about the electronic border searches. While the new directive isn’t as suffocating and scary as that of the Bush administration, the Homeland Security would still be able to seize the laptops and gears but this time they have set boundaries on the things they can look at and how long they can hold the devices.
This law is shady and the Homeland Security could easily step over boundaries of whether materials found in the laptop relates to National security or not. Earlier this week, a man got arrested for smuggling child pornography over the Canadian border, while this action is not right, the DHS doesn’t have jurisdiction on this. Well, they can always argue it’s for the National Security.
Anyways, one scary thing are the security personnel who could misjudge your behavior and see you as a potential suspect where they seize your electronic gadgets and laptops.
I could remember in one of my travels in recent years I was wearing shorts, slippers, and a cap with a not so friendly logo. The next thing I knew I was being escorted in a covered corner and security personnel were searching all over my things. That was an inconvenient experience for me and I could imagine the power of the DHS to see people’s behavior differently and make their lives hell.
Would you agree on this new policy? I would suggest that every time you travel, look at the mirror and make sure you look good in front of security personnel.
Image from Homeland Security.
