New Bill To Rein In DHS Laptop Seizures

twigles writes with news of a new proposed bill that seeks to curtail DHS's power to search and seize laptops at the border without suspicion of wrongdoing. Here is Sen. Feingold's press release on the bill. The new bill has more privacy-protecting safeguards than the previous one, which we discussed last month. "The Travelers Privacy Protection Act, a bill written by US Senators Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., would allow border agents to search electronic devices only if they had reasonable suspicions of wrongdoing. In addition, the legislation would limit the length of time that a device could be out of its owner's possession to 24 hours, after which the search becomes a seizure, requiring probable cause."

Odd way to terrorize people...

[GameboyRMH]

Yes, there is an order of magnitude of difference between a penis pill e-mail and a terrorist, but the general principle is the same.

So you're saying that terrorists want to enlarge my penis by an order of magnitude greater than the pills? Well I guess a massive penis could be rather threatening, but how would the terrorists make use of my terrifyingly huge penis? Write a message on it? Or maybe they're just trying to get the point across that they have to ability to produce Wangs of Mass Destruction?

Re:Odd way to terrorize people...

[commodoresloat]

Well I guess a massive penis could be rather threatening, but how would the terrorists make use of my terrifyingly huge penis?

Well, he said it would be a pain in the ass.

Re:Odd way to terrorize people...

[Legrow]

Well I guess a massive penis could be rather threatening, but how would the terrorists make use of my terrifyingly huge penis? Write a message on it? Or maybe they're just trying to get the point across that they have to ability to produce Wangs of Mass Destruction?

I believe you meant, Weapons of Ass Destruction.

Re:More than a pita

[stephanruby]

Arrive, go somewhere, sleep on the train to somewhere else, see what's there...

If you come to the US, and sleep on the train, on the street, on the bus, or near any place that's interesting. Do not expect to have your laptop when you get back home, DHS or no DHS. Same goes for your iPod, your wallet, your credit cards, your money, your virginity, and your organs.

Well, I was only kidding about the virginity part, that part would only apply to females.

Nowhere near good enough.

[jimdread]

The best thing we can do is attempt to convince people and that starts first and foremost with acknowledging the legitimacy of their position

What if their position isn't legitimate? Consider this scenario: A terrorist gets on a flight to the USA. On arriving in the USA, he gets his laptop seized for searching, but he is still allowed into the country. Then he wants to catch his connecting flight to Darwin Minnesota to blow up the largest ball of string in the world. Because you see, this terrorist group is deeply offended by people worshiping large balls of string. Or wool. But he's on the no-fly list, so they don't let him on the plane. Victory for the DHS policies and procedures! Right?

Wrong! The terrorist notices a nearby sign on a bus which reads "Come to Cawker City Kansas and see the largest ball of twine in the world!". He realises that since he's at Kansas City International Airport, he's probably already in Kansas! Or at least really close! Surely! And twine, that's pretty much like string! So he gets on the bus, goes to Cawker City Kansas, and blows up the largest ball of twine in the world.

This string-related tragedy would not be stopped by the DHS's policies of seizing laptops from terrorists or putting people (including terrorists) on no-fly lists. How can anybody think that seizing laptops or putting people on lists will stop terrorists? Arrest them, give them a fair trial, and if they're guilty, put them in jail. That might work!