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tgrear2008
Joined: 14 Apr 2010
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 Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: US checking laptops and hardrives when returning |
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| Do customs officials go through computers and external hard drives and such things when you return from abroad? Just curious to see if my downloaded movies and music will put me in the slammer. (Before anyone says anything, I'm not talking about porno). Should I delete all my files? |
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runthegauntlet
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Location: the southlands.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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No, of course not.
But since you're so incredibly paranoid, yes, wipe your hard drives clean. Or else! |
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rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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| the police state of AmeriKKA 2011 reserves that right, but won't bother until/unless they suspect you of some far more nefarious stuff than having (illegally) downloaded files. |
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plchron
Joined: 26 Feb 2011
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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i was coming into LAX in April and got sent to secondary inspection for electronics. there were other people being screeened at the station also. I think that they are looking for illegal porn or something, but they will probably roll you for illegal downloads like movies and tv shows also.
My stuff actually didn't get checked because the process to get to the front of the line after baggage claim took so long that when i got there I told them that i was about to crap in my pants and my stomach was making wierd noises. so the guy at secondary waived me through. |
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tgrear2008
Joined: 14 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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@runthegauntlet Have you been to the US, do you know what is happening there? They, are the paranoid, and they don't care about rights or a constitution, so yes, I assume they would search my files.
Looks like I'll just pack up the hard drive and mail it back with a box of clothes and other items. I figure that is the way to avoid the search. |
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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| tgrear2008 wrote: |
@runthegauntlet Have you been to the US, do you know what is happening there? They, are the paranoid, and they don't care about rights or a constitution, so yes, I assume they would search my files.
Looks like I'll just pack up the hard drive and mail it back with a box of clothes and other items. I figure that is the way to avoid the search. |
Lol, it that a joke?
How the hell are they going to prove that the stuff on your HDD is illegal?
customs officer: "Where did all these AVI files come from?"
You: "I ripped them from my DVD collection so I could watch them on my trip."
customs officer: "okay" |
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danielcraig
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:18 pm Post subject: Encrypt |
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I wouldn't be too concerned, but if it would make you feel better use TrueCypt to encrypt your media folder. TrueCrypt also enables you to create a hidden encrypted folder, which works well if you are compelled to provide a password. You provide the dummy password that lets them in, but does not give access to the hidden folder.
TrueCrypt is free and relatively easy to use. |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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| runthegauntlet wrote: |
No, of course not.
But since you're so incredibly paranoid, yes, wipe your hard drives clean. Or else! |
Not true. Customs can and will check computers. I was on another forum for Thailand when I was planning my vacation to there and some reported that customs checked their laptops as well as digital cameras. The customs can do pretty much anything they want. The constitution comes into effect AFTER you get out of customs. Before, anything they want to do is pretty much up to them including frisking, taking xrays (for drug couriers).
You may not have it checked from Korea. But they have the right to. Their reasoning for checking and its almost always men, is basically for child pornography. Since Thailand (as well as Cambodia) are reputedly where many pedos go they will randomly or if they think you look suspicious, check your laptop.
As far back as 2008 its been done.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/15/computing.security
Last month a US court ruled that border agents can search your laptop, or any other electronic device, when you're entering the country. They can take your computer and download its entire contents, or keep it for several days. Customs and Border Patrol has not published any rules regarding this practice
The only way around it is if you have a diplomatic sticker on it. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Is it actually illegal even if the copies are TV rips? As long as you're not sharing I'm not sure they can roll you for anything, considering you easily could have copied it from your TIVO. |
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tgrear2008
Joined: 14 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I'll check out true crypt, thanks! |
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akcrono
Joined: 11 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| tgrear2008 wrote: |
@runthegauntlet Have you been to the US, do you know what is happening there? They, are the paranoid, and they don't care about rights or a constitution, so yes, I assume they would search my files.
Looks like I'll just pack up the hard drive and mail it back with a box of clothes and other items. I figure that is the way to avoid the search. |
The logistics of checking everyone with a laptop (or PMP, thumb drive, etc.) are just impossible. Even if they do, the burden of proof is on them, as they have not caught you behaving illegally (unlike downloading online where they HAVE caught you sharing) and cannot trace the origin of the files (in most cases). I, nor anyone I've known has even been checked. I doubt anyone'es every been caught, but Google would be a better place to look than Dave's IMO. |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 3:28 am Post subject: |
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| akcrono wrote: |
| tgrear2008 wrote: |
@runthegauntlet Have you been to the US, do you know what is happening there? They, are the paranoid, and they don't care about rights or a constitution, so yes, I assume they would search my files.
Looks like I'll just pack up the hard drive and mail it back with a box of clothes and other items. I figure that is the way to avoid the search. |
The logistics of checking everyone with a laptop (or PMP, thumb drive, etc.) are just impossible. Even if they do, the burden of proof is on them, as they have not caught you behaving illegally (unlike downloading online where they HAVE caught you sharing) and cannot trace the origin of the files (in most cases). I, nor anyone I've known has even been checked. I doubt anyone'es every been caught, but Google would be a better place to look than Dave's IMO. |
They do not check everyone. Same as they don't detain everyone off the plane for questioning. But they do. They may pick you or anyone out for any old reason for a more invasive search. They can and they do. Its a fact. Trying to reason it away doesn't take away from the fact that they do check some peoples laptops, cameras, etc. Its a fact they have detained people for xrays. Usually from what they deem source countries for drugs. Flights originating out of Nigeria, Columbia, Holland, etc.
The odds of it happening may be low. But the FACT is they can and do search people. |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 3:37 am Post subject: |
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http://www.pnosker.com/news/tech/1032-psa-your-laptop-is-not-secure-at-us-customs
Should the 4th amendment--protection against unwarranted search and seizure--apply to digital property? The Ninth Circuit seems to think not. It has recently ruled to uphold the right of the US government to seize any personal digital device coming into the US and hold it for up to 48 hours at a remote location without suspicion. Specifically, it stated: "reasonable suspicion is not needed for customs officials to search a laptop or other personal electronic storage devices at the border.� (Full text of the statement can be found here.) So, essentially, if you enter the United States--for example, returning from an overseas vacation--customs officials can take your laptop, smartphone, hard drives, iPod, or any number of other devices without reason.
Not the U.S., Canada but can be done to an American.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32958
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund announced today that it is forming a coalition to support the defense of the U.S. man whose laptop was searched and seized by Canadian customs agents and now faces criminal charges of possession and importation of child pornography because of comics that were found on his computer. |
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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:11 am Post subject: |
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| sirius black wrote: |
| akcrono wrote: |
| tgrear2008 wrote: |
@runthegauntlet Have you been to the US, do you know what is happening there? They, are the paranoid, and they don't care about rights or a constitution, so yes, I assume they would search my files.
Looks like I'll just pack up the hard drive and mail it back with a box of clothes and other items. I figure that is the way to avoid the search. |
The logistics of checking everyone with a laptop (or PMP, thumb drive, etc.) are just impossible. Even if they do, the burden of proof is on them, as they have not caught you behaving illegally (unlike downloading online where they HAVE caught you sharing) and cannot trace the origin of the files (in most cases). I, nor anyone I've known has even been checked. I doubt anyone'es every been caught, but Google would be a better place to look than Dave's IMO. |
They do not check everyone. Same as they don't detain everyone off the plane for questioning. But they do. They may pick you or anyone out for any old reason for a more invasive search. They can and they do. Its a fact. Trying to reason it away doesn't take away from the fact that they do check some peoples laptops, cameras, etc. Its a fact they have detained people for xrays. Usually from what they deem source countries for drugs. Flights originating out of Nigeria, Columbia, Holland, etc.
The odds of it happening may be low. But the FACT is they can and do search people. |
The questions is not IF they check. They DO check. That is a fact.
The question is if they give a crap if you have downloaded DVDs and music on your HDDs. The answer to that is a resounding NO.
There are a variety of ways that you can get music, DVD, BRAY and game rips onto your computer. You can rip them yourself, download them from a paying site like Itunes or Steam, or DL them from DVRs. There is no way for them to prove the files are anything but that.
I have had my HDDs searched on two different occasions traveling into the US with 3-4 FULL TBs of movies, games and music and they just dont care. |
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radcon
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:44 am Post subject: |
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| For those of you who have downloaded porn in the past: Can you positively say that all the actresses in these video clips have been over the age of 18? Be careful out there. |
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