Taking your laptop to the airport has been increasingly met with inspections. There’s a rising risk that your laptop and all its data might be confiscated if a search (random or otherwise) yields “suspicious” files.
Joe Sharkey’s column this week offers a simple, if potentially tedious and time-consuming suggestion: Rename files that raise suspicion because of their potentially terror-inducing names like “blueprint.” Instead, give them more innocuous names like “fuzzy kitten photos” or “grandma.”
So how long before Joe gets accused of aiding and abetting terrorism by giving the baddies a way to circumvent laptop seizures? Or before everyone with actual fuzzy kitten photos or files related to their grandmother gets their laptop confiscated? Wait for it…
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November 12th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
What a load of southbound end of northbound horse byproduct.
In hundreds of trips since 911 I’ve never seen a laptop opened, much less inspected.
Why not worry about carrying pictures of your Aunt Fanny next to the Golden Gate?
Sheeeesh.
November 12th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
My laptop has been opened and turned on once by TSA during a SSSS. But this is slightly different, and primarily a US Customs issue. See here for some more info.:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/24/business/laptop.php
Is it rare? Yes. Can it happen? Yes. Will I be renaming files “cookie recipe”? No. But I’ll be better about backing up files, for sure…
November 12th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Well, backing up files before a trip is good. I do it before any trip and ever Friday (when home). I’m considering one of those background program thingies that backs up file too.
Anyway, I sent an email to a dozen or so people who work with me (all big travellers) and none of them had ever seen or heard of such a thing.
I suspect your experience, while spooky, is quite rare.
November 14th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Also consider:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-biztravel4nov04,0,3063025.story?coll=la-headlines-business
November 7th, 2008 at 5:06 am
well… dont be an ass…
my friend had his laptop confiscated (more or less stolen) and it has not been returned yet more than 2 weeks later. nothing was discussed about why this happened other than that it was for “security purposes”
thats is that.
he could do nothing.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:34 am
My laptop was also confiscated a couple of weeks ago. i was made to put in it my suitcase or not fly! and when i got it when i landed the screen was full of fingerprints. and just today my friend flew to the UK and her laptop was confiscated completely. apparently they will send it to her address at a ‘later date’. This is a real cause for concern for me. because i have exams next week and if i loose access for my laptop i am screwed.