Federal Agents can seize your laptop

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...=technologyNews

Apparently they can seize anything now:

The policies cover hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes -- as well as books, pamphlets and other written materials, the report said.

For all of us U/W photogs with large HDs and Laptops, this is disconcerting.

Actually they've had this policy in place for a while. DHS is just letting us know about now because of that one case in LAX 3 years ago made headlines. The US Court of Appeals basically says it's ok for DHS to search all your belongings when entering the country. Now they have just branched it off to an offsite location. I'd rather let them have it and have them return it later than wait around for hours for them to clear it. Of course, I'm sure if data is destroyed, it's not their fault.

Here is the lowdown of what they can and "cannot" do:

search_authority.pdf

Here is a list of things to do for those who travel often:

1. You should not carry any confidential, personal information that you do not want examined by third parties on your computer – or other electronic devices. This includes financial data, photographs, and email stored on computers, wireless phones, Blackberries, or iPod-type devices.

2. Limit the amount of proprietary business/personal information you carry on your computer, and that it be transmitted before crossing the border so you have access to it in the event your unit is seized.

3. If your laptop also serves as your main computer, get another one for travel purposes.

4. Don't try to hide data(encryption etc) from U.S. border authorities, but to take steps to minimize the impact of its loss, or the inability to access it, in the event it is seized.

I wouldn't worry too much. Only if you're an older guy coming back from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines or Indonesia would they suspect you of having childporn. If you're of Middle East descent, you know they are not profiling just because they pick you for all the checks

I now just upload my important work files to a secure server for download when I get to my place. No sensitive data on my laptop anymore. I am also sending my backup drive via fedex with one copy of my pictures/videos incase the laptop gets stolen,damaged or something. Brave New World.

Shit, this is outrageous!

And people go on about the issues of customs in Indonesia, that issue now seems like a joke in comparison really!

I'm just glad I'm not a naughty boy... But there again crossing on the road in some places is ilegal nowadays...

As with any increasing security policy, law etc...taken care of by persons, the problem is having the bad luck of encountering the typical rotten apple in the airport that ruins our trip.

Here is a list of things to do for those who travel often:

1. You should not carry any confidential, personal information that you do not want examined by third parties on your computer – or other electronic devices. This includes financial data, photographs, and email stored on computers, wireless phones, Blackberries, or iPod-type devices.

2. Limit the amount of proprietary business/personal information you carry on your computer, and that it be transmitted before crossing the border so you have access to it in the event your unit is seized.

3. If your laptop also serves as your main computer, get another one for travel purposes.

4. Don't try to hide data(encryption etc) from U.S. border authorities, but to take steps to minimize the impact of its loss, or the inability to access it, in the event it is seized.

I recall another post about this subject here and I started doing what you mention myself. Wiped out the computer except for absolute must haves, such as keeping bookmarks for Wetpixel

Good thought about the FedEx move... I was not too worried about the photos video from the trips dissapearing and was more focused on other things. Maybe I should just stay in places with T1 Lines now

But what you said is probably true in that (hopefully) these things will not be taken willy-nilly. I have been in U.S. Customs areas where signs clearly say "no cell phone use" in the area or they can be confiscated. Once in awhile I mention it to people in case they do not see it as they chat on their phone, and the Customs agents have been really good about it. They will ask people politely to put it away or they will have to take it away. I have seen a few people have to be warned by the customs agents more than once in fact.

But as you said it is a Brave New World. Sigh. I guess the bright note is that with the rising costs of air travel, luggage restrictions and the rest I probably cannot leave the U.S. much anymore anyway.

We also must remember that it is very unlikely that any of us will be affected. They do profile, admit it or not. They are not just looking for terrorists but child porn and the like. So those people who fit that profile will be more likely to be pushed for more scrutiny.

I know a WP member who AFAIK is an upstanding citizen, well... I consider him a friend so maybe not... and his computer was searched for 30 minutes for illicit material upon return to the US. He wasn't thrilled to be put on that pedestal of scrutiny but it's best not to take it personally.

I mean I get lots of spam email asking me to buy viagra and cialis... and I know they don't know/mean I have ED. But then again I am E.D. (inside joke)

We also must remember that it is very unlikely that any of us will be affected. They do profile, admit it or not. They are not just looking for terrorists but child porn and the like. So those people who fit that profile will be more likely to be pushed for more scrutiny.

Yup profiling is a way of life.

I know a WP member who AFAIK is an upstanding citizen, well... I consider him a friend so maybe not... and his computer was searched for 30 minutes for illicit material upon return to the US. He wasn't thrilled to be put on that pedestal of scrutiny but it's best not to take it personally.

LOL. Yeah I have beeen stopped a couple of times myself and just let them do what they have to do. One time (about 15 years or so ago) I was stopped coming back into the States when I was out of the States in Canada for one night then flew to Hawaii. Had my guitar with me. My now wife (who is Canadian) was let through no problem, but they stopped me because of the guitar. They made me open up the case, tune it up and play. I thought it was kind of funny myself. Another time I was coming back from Mexico and stopped for a couple CPR Masks I had in my bag at the the airport in Mexico. Go figure.

I mean I get lots of spam email asking me to buy viagra and cialis... and I know they don't know/mean I have ED. But then again I am E.D. (inside joke)

That is always a concern, the Spam, not E.D. I mean. (Guess E.D., in the more common use, at some point )

Yup profiling is a way of life.

Al Franken had a pretty good line about profiling. He said:

"... I like all the security that you can get, and I get to the airport way ahead of time. I don't understand the reluctance to profile young Arab men. I know this might be controversial. The way I look at it is if it had been 19 Jewish comedians on September 11th who had done that, and they -- and I'm in an airport, and I'm in line to get on the plane, and they go, "MR. FRANKEN, we need to talk to you -- you are a Jewish comedian." I'd say, "Thank you -- please check my butt," you know -- (laughter) -- "and while you're at it, will you check Mr. Seinfeld's?"

CBP under DHS can do that but TSA is not a law enforcement body (as much as they like to think they are), and dont get me started on TSA as thats a thread unto it self. They(TSA) dont have the legal mandate for a indepth search so you dont have to give them any passwords. I had one of there people try and tell me that he wanted to search the data on my hard drive, and i told him unless he had a search warrant in hand he wasnt getting squat, and the the true LEO standing behind him was laughing at him, and i packed everything up and went on my way. I dont have a problem with CBP because they do there job but TSA cant do the job they where chartered to do but still keep expanding and failing all the time, they just need to be scraped and replaced.

with CBP all bets are off but PGP and true-crypt will keep any info safe from prying eyes.

Hint:

If you carry a Sony e-book, make sure you take the copies of the Turner Diaries and the Anarchist cookbook off before you travel.