[tlug] government getting ready to inspect your iPod, laptop without probable cause

["Jim Maricondo" <jimbocho@example.com>]

My apologies for being slightly off topic, but I think this issue concerns us all.

This is a crazy new law being proposed which will give border guards and security personnel the right to inspect the contents of your laptop, iPod, cell phone for content that infringes on copyright laws (music and movies):
http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/ACTA_trade_agreement_negotiation_lacks_transparency

Apparently they already have the right to look at anything on your laptop in the pretense of checking for child pornography. This looks more like a fishing trip. First look for something that most people will support, child porn or illegal music, then “discover” something else.

The record industry is trying to make ripping CDs illegal, so they want to have DRM only downloads on an iPod. In other words if it is not digitally signed it is not legal.

Is the next step is the right to enter our homes and go through our disk drives, without a court order or probable cause. It’s amazing that this type of thing is even being considered much less this close to becoming reality!

 -Jim