TSA Can Now Search Through Your Laptop

[Rally]

This guy thinks that airport searches for weapons by government agents without probable cause itself is a breach of Constitutional rights. You can imagine what I think of searching computers for content.

Fact is there should be a program to positively identify pilots and crew....they need not be screened period. Its a waste of time and clouds public perception of air travel. Wanna do that with pax then keep doing it? But as the lines get longer and longer and the tickets get more and more.....your just gonna not have people fly.

 

[Minimaniac]

If I had even the slightest bit of respect for TSA screeners, I might think that computer searches are tolerable. But I refuse to let some underpaid, careless, gossiping moron have access to my financial information, banking records, and other personal information... especially in view of so many other strangers passing by. They cannot begin to know where to look for illegal or incriminating files on my computer, and they will not take the time to search my hard drive in its entirety... yet another half baked idea that requires huge losses of liberty on our part and negligible security gain.

 

[LR60BOY]

If I had even the slightest bit of respect for TSA screeners, I might think that computer searches are tolerable. But I refuse to let some underpaid, careless, gossiping moron have access to my financial information, banking records, and other personal information... especially in view of so many other strangers passing by. They cannot begin to know where to look for illegal or incriminating files on my computer, and they will not take the time to search my hard drive in its entirety... yet another half baked idea that requires huge losses of liberty on our part and negligible security gain.

Well Said! AMEN!

 

[CA1900]

thats funny...his will probably say "you should have gone to college, YOU'RE and idiot"

Whoops.

 

[sqwkvfr]

Cue the police state supporters saying, "That's fine, I have nothing to hide," in 3...2....1....

Well, in most cases, that would be me.

You see, in most of the search situations, you have a choice, if you don't want something searched, just don't bring it. For example, a bag into a ball game or onto an aircraft.

In this case, that sort of choice doesn't exist. I use my laptop for all sorts of things...it contains work records, tax returns, and a buttload of personal information that is just that....personal.

Now, I don't know the details or the merits of the case that has been mentioned, nor have I even taken the time to click the link listed above, but if what is being said above is correct, this is a clear violation of the 4th amendment of the US Constitution. One could argue the exigent circumstances exist thus the warrant requirement is not an issue, however, even with exigent circumstances, probable cause is still a burden of the state in order for them to rifle though the modern-day version of one's "papers."

The choice to leave the laptop behind -thus not subject to search- is not possible for so many traveling for business or even pleasure since the laptop is becoming many of our lives.

There are a bunch of people on this board who are won't have anything to say about this aside from some sort of emotional response saying how "wrong" it is or make a comment about some sort of juvenile "retaliation" against the agents who may search their laptop, despite the fact that they didn't make the policy and might feel the same way they do, but as someone who spent years studying search and seizure issues, carrying out said searches and instructing others on the propriety of warrantless searches, I have to say that I believe that the "bright line" has been crossed, and that this ruling won't stand.

Again, this is provided that the information provided on this thread is correct.

 

[mtsupilot376]

I may not be the first person to say it but definitely not the first person to think it...

F@CK THE TSA!

 

[sqwkvfr]

OK, well, this is not a TSA case at all....it's a customs case.

It has to do with what comes into this country, and that's a different matter than just a random search of your laptop whilst going through security in a domestic flight....there is a much lower burden on the state in order to have a reason to conduct a search.

Appeals courts MUST rule in a manner favorable to the lower court's decision......and overturn basically means that the lower court really screwed up.

In this case, you can see that the ultra-liberal 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals actually overturned a lower court ruling that said that this search was illegal.

That means that you can be that it will stand.

 

[sqwkvfr]

I may not be the first person to say it but definitely not the first person to think it...

F@CK THE TSA!

You should probably look at the article a little more closely....this was Customs and Border Patrol, not the TSA.

 

[sqwkvfr]

(and soon the TSA)

Where does it say this?....i can't find it anywhere.

 

[mtsupilot376]

Don't tell me you are actually defending those fascist thugs. Open your eyes we are living in a police state.

Its bad enough we have to be screened in the first place, but confiscations, invasions of privacy, etc. Where do we draw the line? I can't wait till those neanderthal knuckle-draggers lose their jobs and have to go back to the drive through windows where they came from.

As far as I am concerned, each and every one of those so called Toiletry Searching Agents are just as bad as the GoJets drivers out there. They didn't have to take the job in the first place. They didn't mind selling our civil liberties down the river for $13.30/hr and mediocre benefits. So F@ck Em!