The Washington Post is reporting that recently disclosed Homeland Security policies lay claim to the right to indefinitely detain your laptop PC, iPod or other electronic device without probable cause and share the information stored on those devices with third-party companies. It’s all a part of making you feel safer. Do you feel safer, yet?
I’m sure I’m basically wasting time trying to argue logically about the policies of an organization which is neither founded upon nor governed by rational interests in security. Nevertheless, let me point out that border security – especially airport security, for which this rule seems largely designed – is about preventing dangerous items from entering a plane or the country. Such things include guns, knives or shoe bombs. Or more than one lighter at a time. Or toothpaste.
So really, there is no logical reason for needing to interpret data on a PC or iPod hard-drive, is there? Other than an attempt to bully and intimidate travelers, I mean.