Chew on this: would you rather lose your wallet or your laptop? Which one contains more important information? Which one is easier to replace? Which one is more personal? Losing my wallet would unquestionably be a hassle, but losing my laptop is more like losing a limb.
And yet, according to this article in the Washington Post, Department of Homeland Security protocols allow security personnel to take your electronic devices—including your laptop—for as long as they want. Worse, they don’t even need a reason to take your property. This applies to anybody coming into the U.S.—including American citizens.
If that’s not skin-crawlingly creepy enough, they’re also allowed to share copies of your data with other government organizations and non-government organizations for things like translation or decryption. And it’s not limited to your laptop either: iPods, cell phones, PDAs, video and audio tapes—anything that can store information—is subject to the same procedures.
Now, I don’t even play a lawyer on television, but I feel like there’s something, some little law or precept that ought to prevent this…if only I could remember what it was.
Tutorial on encrypted disk images, anyone?
(If you’re looking for further reading on this subject, go read Cory Doctorow’s excellent novel Little Brother for an example of just how frightening the future could be—you can even read it online for free.)
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Are you kidding? Homeland Security? USA? Sound like KGB of USSR. Do you guys still have Constitution?
I'm assuming that headline is a poke at President Bush's famous 'Bushism'? The Whim of a Hat?
Only difference between US and communist Russia is our government wraps itself up in the flag to justify what it does.
At least in Russia their open about the fact that you don't have any rights.
"Do you guys still have Constitution?"
Yes... but it's no longer worth the paper (parchment, sheep skin, whatever) it's written on.
And courts have recently ruled that you are not required to give your password to anyone in the government so they can access your data once it is encrypted. They can take the hardware but not your thoughts, yet.
Unfortunately FileVault might not help you: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10004627-83.html
It's not just the US.
http://www.schneier.com/essay-217.html
The problem with encrypting the harddrive is of course that when they check it and notices it is encrypted they are MORE likely to make a fuzz about it and keep the laptop... not to mention possibly keep you. No, encryption is not the best option, the best option is not to go to America. Or if you happen to live there - move out. Boycott the country.
Yes, it is an option, yes you can do it, no it is not as expensive as you think to move abroad. If the people who think america is closer to a fascist state now than it is a democracy would all move out, then america would no longer be a problem for the rest of the world.
Stop complaining - take action. Take your tax dollars to another country.
wow, it sure sucks to be an American this point in time, and they say that the Chinese Olympics should be shut down because they censor news and such
I know it doesn't sound legal, but there's old, settled case law that says that the Constitution stops just inside the border, and until you clear inbound customs, you're still _outside_ the border.
The United States government has become exactly what its founders loathed and went to war to escape. Unfortunately, the historic remedy is no longer practical; it would turn the whole country into a free-fire zone.
Truecrypt, http://www.truecrypt.org/
is the answer. Free, with a hidden encrypted drive option. Place a hidden encrypted drive inside of an encrypted drive (with different passwords of course) and even if they get the first drive open, there are no indicators that a second, hidden drive exists.
I can't believe people might stand for this. Airport waits are long enough, that alone will piss people off enough to complain.
What's said is it won't be the constitutional amendment being shattered that angers people. People don't care or aren't aware.
just keep an extra cheap hard drive to swap for the plane ride....or just do what I do and keep a server at home to ftp to for that personal info..
Unfortunately "other government agencies" would include the NSA who could crack you 256 bit encryption like an egg.
Mixed metaphors. The correct saying is, "At the drop of a hat." Or, "On a whim..."
:)
Unfortunately there's an exception to the fourth when it comes to borders which would include international airports.
Hmmm lesse... freedom from unlawful seizure, or an expensive trip to the Bahamas...?
I'll take freedom for infinity, Alex.
Well now that I know about this all I would do is store 'personal' files on a web server, file hosting or news hosting server. and delete all traces of my doing as much. It looks like this measure would only annoy normal people and not effect anyone wanting to hide things.
Are you kidding? Homeland Security? USA? Sound like KGB of USSR. Do you guys still have Constitution?
Yeah, it's used as a doormat at the White House
What does "at the whim of a hat" mean? At the drop of a hat, sure. At a whim, no problem. My hats, although whimsical, have never indicated a whim on their own.
I believe that should be, "At the drop of a hat" or "On a whim"
I know this may be a pain in the ass, but what is to stop anyone from just fedexing or otherwise shipping said laptop the day before they leave? Not only that, but if they want a cheaper alternative, just pop the hard drive out and fedex it to the destination a day ahead of time. Like was said earlier, this is a law that would just annoy the common people. Those who want ill will toward anyone have the money and the foresight to avoid this mundane nuisance. Also, it shows exactly how scared the american government is of everyone else. They have started so much crap that they are scared of even their own shadows now and are forced to do this crap shoot in an effort to look like they have some control over everything and instill fear in the American people. When in reality, they know that they are hanging on by a mere thread and chaos is likely to break out at anytime and turn them upside down.
The country is the way it is because the current generation (18 to 40) is too willing to give up their rights. They've been brainwashed by the government to believe all these things must be done to protect everyone. When in fact there isn't any way to protect anyone from whatever is going to happen. But everyone feels secure if the government is taking action. When all they're doing is taking control. We (the American people) need to step back and take a good long look at where we're going. It's time to take control of government before it has total control over us. I wish we could get a viable candidate to run for president. We need a solid independent candidate that's not in it for the money, for the glory or to take away freedoms.
I believe the phrase is the drop of a hat . I didn t know hats had whims
Actually hiding your information is quite easy. It's all about steganography to hide your personal info in plain sight. Just give a folder +S & +H attributes for a simple way to hide it. (+S = System +H = Hidden. This way not even showing hidden files will show it.) Unless you know it's there you'll never know where to look
You aren't "In the Country" until customs says you are. This is by international treaty. Since customs has not allowed you to "enter" the country, you aren't in the USA. The US Constitution is only valid when you are within its authority.
Not being allowed in means not having to give you a means to stay. Airports, train stations (where applicable), and sea ports are considered neutral embassies. You only enter a country when you leave them and actually walk on US soil. Thus, customs can confiscate, etc. The rights you have in a neutral embassy are given to you by international law and treaty, not the Constitution.
Let me put it to you this way - any time you're dealing with (wo)men with guns, you're already at risk. Whether they have the legal authority to do something, they still have the power - and they're not lawyers. If they want to take your property or hassle you or otherwise mistreat you, they're going to do it. Maybe they'll eventually get into trouble, but that might come too late to be helpful to you.
It's not just the US that has become fascist. Most governments are fascist or leaning in that direction.