k wrote:

terratogen wrote:

k wrote:
Following up on our previous brief discussion, I'm very curious what would happen if the laptop was seized due to my refusal to allow the search.

The forensic team will recognize immediately that my entire home directory is encrypted with FileVault. Assuming FV is secure (i don't really know), what're they gonna do about it?

As you say, absent some law penalizing me for non-compliance, seems like they're SOL.

Have you seen anything in your reading that deals with this subject?

-k

If you mail your laptop home, why wouldn't it be subject to the same type of search?

Good question, I guess. What are the rules regarding searches of mail arriving from an international origin? If it's encrypted, what force can be brought to bear to compel me to expose the contents?

-k

They can just take it away from you and not give it back. I wonder if there could be made an inflight courier service. So you mail your stuff to yourself from another country, get on the plane with your courier, and pick it up when you're in the "real" united states. If mail is still protected, it might be a humorous workaround.

RE: Border searches of laptops; seizure.