Thread: anyone worried about US borders wrt ebooks?
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Old 08-13-2008, 04:07 PM   #166
Ramen
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Posts: 87
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Switzerland
Device: Kindle 3, BeBook
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickyMaveety View Post
Period ... end of discussion. It isn't there. It's not happening. If it matters that much to you, either email it or leave it at home. It is NOT a violation of civil rights ... never has been, probably never will be. So, please to get over it.
Yeah. you see that is one of the problems right there. In Europe, such privacy actual is a civil right (or rather almost at the level of human rights). I understand that this is not the case in your country but the sentiment is the same, even if the legalees are different. Kinda like arguing a country that hasn't singed the Human Rights Charter can simply ignore it, although that is of course a completely different level. Still, your country defends and employs torture and uses foreign bases to get around pesky regulations.

Apart from general privacy, things like back-scatter scanners are very problematic (especially since they are only security-theater, no real security).

Besides, if your private data (bank stuff, corporate stuff, etc but also emails and the like) is encrypted (as every sensible person should with a laptop) and you refuse to give the password, then can confiscate your stuff. Legally, you need to provide the password because customs have just about unrestricted powers but from an ethical stand-point, why the heck should you? If customs just wants to have a look, maybe. But if they want a copy, then absolutely not. The US has a history for sharing such stuff or else just having terrible security (like most governments...).

The things I personally hate is:
  • The US requires extensive info from the airlines while breaking their data protection agreements with the EU (which caused the EU to lower the reqs )
  • A foreigner can be detained indefinately and without access to lawyers or Red Cross
  • Finger-prints and other biometric data (with their shitty comp security)
  • None of these things get you any real increase in security. The airport stuff is rediculous (scanners, gels or fluids, pointy things, metal things,...)

But boy is that off-topic
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