Domestic flights? Wow. Since this is a different agency than typically conducts (similarly intrusive and seemingly illegal) searches in the case of international flights, I wonder if they are following a common protocol? If so, who creates that? I'm about to fly internationally for the first time in a while; anybody have any advice on how to handle my devices?
Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
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Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#22I am TOTALLY ok with TSA reading my last text messages before I go on a flight. Those last few texts someone sends before committing a terrorist action, could send an extremely strong signal to authorities and possibly prevent a disaster. If the extra security results in a strange TSA agent getting to enjoy some surprise dick pics, well that's the price of freedom Jerry.
If dick picks are fair game I think we should all be required to strip naked and submit to cavity inspections for the security screening process. Because that's how we've managed to keep our prisons 100% contraband free.
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#23A devil's advocate argument, for people to have something explicit to rebut here: One of the guises state police operate under in America is the "highway patrol"—a force that searches for terrorists and drug trafficking and the like. And presumably, air travel is a privilege, not a right, just like driving a car is. (Or is it? Taking public transit is a right that can't be denied to someone unless they explicitly bre…
> Presumably, air travel is a privilege, not a right, just like driving a car is. Freedom of movement is a privilege, not a right? What can you possibly be talking about? Did I miss a memo? The United States (and other common law societies) have a long history of enshrining freedom of movement as a fundamental right. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_movement_under_Unit... Also, be reminded that the USA voted…
Freedom of movement no more guarantees your right to purchase a ticket aboard a private, commercial flight, than freedom of speech guarantees your right to post to a private, commercial forum.
What freedom of movement does guarantee, to be clear, is that you're:
1. allowed to own your own plane;
4. allowed to fly said plane over pretty much any American airspace, other than specific little zones cordoned off by the military;
2. allowed to have your own airfield to launch and land your plane;
3. allowed to use the airfield of any American airport to launch/land your plane (at least in an emergency.)
With your own plane—just like with your own car—you have freedom of movement in the US.
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#24It's possible the TSA will claim that taking a device for some amount of time and giving it back doesn't qualify as a (4th amendment) search. However, from a security perspective it would be awful if they could disappear with your device whenever they wanted - that certainly makes me uncomfortable.
> taking a device for some amount of time and giving it back doesn't qualify as a (4th amendment) search
If it's optional and I can and will refuse, fine. If it's not,and I'm not attempting to cross a border, they can get stuffed.
For domestic travel, they do not need to examine the data - only the physical device needs to be examined to rule out security risk. They can do that non-intrusively with imaging and chemical analysis technology.
The idea that someone could claim that a limited intrusion into the contents of my communications isn't an intrusion at all is absurd.
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#25I am TOTALLY ok with TSA reading my last text messages before I go on a flight. Those last few texts someone sends before committing a terrorist action, could send an extremely strong signal to authorities and possibly prevent a disaster. If the extra security results in a strange TSA agent getting to enjoy some surprise dick pics, well that's the price of freedom Jerry.
I mean sure, my parents grew up knowing that the secret police was listening to every phone call and opening every letter, but it was fine because you know, whatever keeps the motherland safe I guess!
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
freedom of movement \neq freedom to fly though
In a modern society, disallowing to fly doesn't give full movement rights for a person. You are much less likely to travel to Europe if you have to use a transaltlantic boat for example. :p
yes but you could say that of cars too (and courts have ruled mandatory DUI tests legal)
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#27I am TOTALLY ok with TSA reading my last text messages before I go on a flight. Those last few texts someone sends before committing a terrorist action, could send an extremely strong signal to authorities and possibly prevent a disaster. If the extra security results in a strange TSA agent getting to enjoy some surprise dick pics, well that's the price of freedom Jerry.
At that point you might as well advocate for the NSA to preapprove all text messages before being relayed to the recipient (provided that isn't already the case). Maybe the TSA could sell that as another perk to get through security faster. I'll take more privacy over a fake sense of security, thank you.
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#28> "One woman who shared her story with the ACLU told the Guardian that in the last year, she has twice had her electronics searched while flying within California. The 64-year-old, who works in nonprofits and requested anonymity for fear that she could face further scrutiny from TSA, said that on one occasion last year, TSA agents pulled her aside to pat her down multiple times and eventually asked to see both her iP…
It's also a classic tactic against conservative groups.
https://www.npr.org/2017/10/27/560308997/irs-apologizes-for-...
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#29I am TOTALLY ok with TSA reading my last text messages before I go on a flight. Those last few texts someone sends before committing a terrorist action, could send an extremely strong signal to authorities and possibly prevent a disaster. If the extra security results in a strange TSA agent getting to enjoy some surprise dick pics, well that's the price of freedom Jerry.
Do you really think random terrorists are dumb enough to send text messages like "so how's your terrorist attack going?" or "don't forget the bomb!"?
Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights
#30Domestic flights? Wow. Since this is a different agency than typically conducts (similarly intrusive and seemingly illegal) searches in the case of international flights, I wonder if they are following a common protocol? If so, who creates that? I'm about to fly internationally for the first time in a while; anybody have any advice on how to handle my devices?
hidden partitions, and/or storing all your important data off-device are the two pieces of advice that get suggested the most.
I would strongly recommend the latter. Hidden partitions are trivial to find.
I recommend one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/MyDigitalSSD-480GB-SuperSpeed-Portabl...
Keep it encrypted and in your pocket.