My last post talked about the US ban on Vegemite which seemed odd enough, but apparently there’s another new piece of news recently making headlines. Now, not only can you expect your local US Customs Agent to ask if you have any Vegemite, they may now be asking for your laptop as well.
In a recent NY Times article, laptops may now be seized and analyzed without any reason given and without any requirement to return the laptop to you in a reasonable time.
“One member who responded to our survey said she has been waiting for a year to get her laptop and its contents back,” said Susan Gurley, the group’s executive director. “She said it was randomly seized. And since she hasn’t been arrested, I assume she was just a regular business traveler, not a criminal.”
Now I can only assume that waiting a year is the exception rather than the norm but the article does raise some interesting points such as there’s no probably cause necessary for inspecting or seizing a laptop. Also there’s no requirement to notify the owner of the laptop as to why the seizure is taking place. These are the pieces that seem unfair. I’m not against empowering security officials to do their jobs but there needs to be checks and balances to protect the other side as well.
More and more personal information is being stored on computers. I probably have more financial records and photos on my laptop computer than in my own home. Law enforcement officials can’t enter my home without a warrant or probably cause. Why should they be able to browse through my bank statements or pictures of my family on my laptop without the same judiciary approval or supervision?