Warning: Your electronics fair game for search at borders
…No, not the store Borders!
Before you plan a globe-trotting journey with your iPhone, Amazon Kindle/Sony Reader and that MacBook Air, you might want to keep reading.
A new international agreement planned to be adopted at the upcoming G8 Summit, would basically give border authorities of any participating nation the right to search your electronic gadgets in search of material that infringes on copyrights.
This means that if you are going through a border crossing (even through customs at an airport), the authorities can open your laptop (for example) and look through your files without probable cause. According to the Teleread Blog, which is where I first came across this story, says that there is little oversight for this agreement because it would…
…reportedly allow border guards in any covered country to seize your iPod, laptop, Sony Reader or Kindle—if the guards believed you’d used your evil gizmo to infringe copyright.
Lawyers to protect you? Fergit. And no appeals.
Just as frighteningly, a global copyright police force without sufficient checks would help pave the way for such intrusions.
One of the first things that popped into my mind when I read about this is: What if they find other incriminating material on your electronic device? Would the authorities be allowed to arrest you if they were searching your laptop for pirated movies and found information regarding your drug dealing business, for example. I’m not saying that I’m worried about authorities finding anything incriminating on my electronics.
But it sounds like this new international agreement has little to do with finding a pirated ebook or two, and more to do with easier ways to catch criminals without those pesky details like probable cause, due process and even search warrants.
Let’s face it, over the last eight years or so, especially in the United States, personal rights have gone down the crapper. I’m afraid this is just an extension of that, only on a global level.
Electronic devices represent a big legal gray area
I have written a previous post (for the life of me, I could not find it) about how electronic devices are in a sort of legal-limbo when it comes to searches. Let’s pretend you get pulled over on the highway and the cop wants to search your car. Can the cop also go through your cell phone? What about your laptop?
As electronics infiltrate every part of our life, these legal questions are bound to arise. Since no specific laws exist to address these issues, the US and other countries have a blank slate when it comes to drafting new laws. The above international agreement is a good example of that.
Related posts
- Organization to help defend writers on fair use laws
- Borders to start selling more of Sony’s eReader
- Borders unveils new website
- Move over Kindle, Japan is way ahead in the ebook game!
- I love Google, I just don’t trust them
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