Now They're Getting Personal
Saturday, August 02, 2008
A UK web site reports that US officials are now claiming the right to seize the iPods, cell phones, and thumb drives of any person entering the United States.
I'm all for security, and I've certainly had my fair share of searches at our fine airports, but until now its just been an inconvenience. Now, however, they are claiming that (regardless of suspicion of wrong-doing) they not only can seize any number of electronic items for later inspection, but they are required to then destroy the data if there is no reason to retain it.
So, if you don't have any terrorist or pornographic material, you can kiss all of your songs, movies, and files goodbye... for no reason whatsoever.
Labels: homeland security
posted by Russell @ 11:15 AM,
3 Comments:
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At 1:25 PM,
John said...
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I interpreted it to mean that they had to destroy their copies of your data (in other words, your personal data won't live on in some government database forever).
If of course procedures are followed properly during the process by which you are searched without any suspicion of wrongdoings. Die Stasi is zurückgekommen, mein Kamerad! -
At 1:28 PM,
Russell said...
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You are probably right, now that I re-read it. But being the cynical chap that I am, I have no faith that I'd ever see my data, or device, ever again should it get caught up in this crap.
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At 7:19 AM,
John said...
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I think cynicism is entirely appropriate on this topic.
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