quote:
Originally posted by MeEtc
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=ae997868-220b-4dae-bf4f-47f6fc96ce5e
Its a pretty long article, but to summarize, boarder guards will have the ability to search digital devices for copyrighted materials if the proposed law as described is passed.
I, for one doubt this will ever happen, sounds like utter bullshit to me.
Anyways, discuss and share opinion
fyi, and to the others who think something like this is BS....
People who travel to the USA and who bring their laptop, or other electronic devices which can hold information (eg: photo cameras, cell phones, mp3 players, etc) can have their devices searched for any 'illegal' or 'terrorist' information.
This fact is not widely known by travelers, but
USA boarder customs already do have that right and do have the right to temporary keep your devices for further study without search warrants or probable cause! And there are even already douzens of cases where people did not have their device returned.
And although there is some outcry against it, and eventhough they have had some lawsuits against this practice, the TSA and customs officials have never been convicted because of this.
And yep, Val, if they think you're a treat to national security or they have the slightest reason to believe you are holding back info or are carrying illegal info, they can stop you from traveling and/or arrest you. They are not going to uphold a plane, they simply stop you from boarding it, simple as that.
This is already so since a few years.
quote:
Originally posted by Nathan
But why would they search EVERYONE's ipods and laptops etc.. it's just not practical, think of the time it would take.
Sorry it's not going to happen.
Since when is that a reason for not passing a law like this?
It is not because they can't practically search
everyone's device, that they wont search
some devices and that there is a big possebility that they will search
YOUR device.
quote:
Originally posted by ipab
The fact that annoys me the most is that a third party watchdog site had to leak the details about this plan. Otherwise, us as residents, would never have known about it. It just scares me as to how secretive this all is.
erm, I bet there is nothing secret about it at all. The thing is you probably don't read the proper channels.
Of course I don't know how it exactly works in Canada, but I would assume it is pretty much the same in each country. For example, if we don't read our national State Magazine (free translation from "Belgisch Staatsblad" because I wouldn't know how to translate it otherwise
) we only would know about new laws and bills when they are covered on the news. The National State Magazine includes all the new, changed laws and other goverment stuff people should know.
Of course, there is no person here who reads that boring crap (except for lawyers and stuff), so the 'only' way we have to know about new laws or laws which are worked upon, or whatever is to watch the news or maybe some special dedicated watchdogs (who have their info from that state magazine or who have reporters who watch such stuff), etc.
The point is there is probably absolutely nothing "secret" about it at all. Laws and bills are always published in one way or the other, otherwise what is the point of them?
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