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U.S. court rules against warrantless searches of phones, laptops

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If I were a smart criminal, I would delete emails, internet access history, addressbook entries, and maybe even cloud backups.  Of course criminals may not be all that smart.   From all of those searches, it would be interesting to know how many resulted in arrests.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Its incredible that anyone could be so gullible as to believe that America needs protecting from what? Explosive e-mails on phones?? Someone planning to use the sharp edge of a J-peg to hijack a plane?

Glad to see the U.S. courts finally caught up to this clear and unnecessary violation of the Fourth Amendment by the police state. I wonder if other countries will take note and follow suit? This is how they basically kidnapped that Japanese guy in Australia for what I assume were legal pictures anywhere else in the world. But in Australia Lisa Simpson is a legal person now who remains eternally 8 years old. Bush fires are so hot down there they partially melt brains I guess.

The war on data has got to be stopped.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The US Border and Customs does have a reasonable reason to search anything for weapons and drugs. Searching for electronic wrongdoing is a completely different issue, unless there is probable cause AND a signed, valid, warrant.

The EFF has a "Digital Privacy Pocket Guide" https://www.eff.org/press/releases/digital-privacy-us-border-new-how-guide-eff

If you are a US citizen or legal permanent resident, you can refuse to provide any help or passwords. They will likely take the device and hold it for 3-12 months, because they can. You will be hassled for 1-18 hrs, but released eventually.

For visitors to the US, the worst that can happen if you refuse is deportation, being blocked from entry, and having the device taken.

This assumes nothing incriminating is uncovered and you don't work for Huawei trying to bypass sanctions.

Australia, Canada, UK, NZ, France, China, and most middle east countries can and will put you in jail for not disclosing any passwords they request so they can search the devices.

Be certain not to use biometrics to unlock any devices when entering the US. Passwords are different than forcing your finger onto the device by US law.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good. The Fourth Amendment has been weakened enough.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Good. America is not a Stasi-style state. Not yet, entirely...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Border officials can’t have ‘boundless’ access to search devices, court rules

Searches require reasonable suspicion

While officials have broad powers to screen travelers at the border, they can’t search electronic devices without reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing, a court ruled today

The court said in its ruling today that government interests are “paramount” at the border, but that “even border searches are not boundless.” Electronic searches of gadgets still must meet the reasonable suspicion standard — otherwise, they violate the privacy interests of travelers.

“This ruling significantly advances Fourth Amendment protections for the millions of international travelers who enter the United States every year,” ACLU staff attorney Esha Bhandari said in a statement. “By putting an end to the government’s ability to conduct suspicionless fishing expeditions, the court reaffirms that the border is not a lawless place and that we don’t lose our privacy rights when we travel.”

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Good. America is not a Stasi-style state. Not yet, entirely...

I am relived as well that the government is being limited in its ability to intrude into the lives of people.

But if the #resistance has its way, the Stasi-style state will take over America.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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