Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I think you've misread what I said. I have nothing against encryption - it's obviously a good idea to protect personal or sensitive information. What I said I didn't agree with was the idea of using encryption as a method of preventing the government from seeing your data in circumstances where they have a legitimate right to do so (eg, if cases where someone has been accused of downloading child pornography, let's say).
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It's one thing if there is probable cause and a preponderence of evidence and a search warrant is provided by a duly authorized officer of the court.
However, for example, for AT&T to wire tap US citizens with no probable cause or court order is a viloation of the US Consitution and the Bill of Rights.
For a customs officer to ask someone for there password to encrypted files just to see if there was something bad in it is a violation of 5th ammendment rights.
http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9834495-38.html I also feel the guy looking at files on the laptop was an illegal search. Although I'm not sure what the border crossing rules are... you may have to consent to any search in that case. However, is searching the contents of a hard drive part of that?
BOb