At border, laptops are open books

Brodsky et al comment on laptop searches at US airports. The searches signaled an escalation in the Justice Department's high-profile, year-long investigation into allegations of foreign corrupt payments. For the rest of the international business community, they signaled what may be a new tren...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The National Law Journal 2008-07, Vol.30 (45), p.S1
Main Authors: Brodsky, David E, Haggerty, Timothy M, Britt, Tamara J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Airports
Criminal investigations
Portable computers
Search & seizure
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Brodsky et al comment on laptop searches at US airports. The searches signaled an escalation in the Justice Department's high-profile, year-long investigation into allegations of foreign corrupt payments. For the rest of the international business community, they signaled what may be a new trend in law enforcement. With increasingly global companies and increasingly portable technology, these searches would let the government access any data that travelers bring across the border on their laptops, BlackBerrys, cellphones or other electronic devices--without warrants, probable cause or reasonable suspicion. Although no court has considered whether an airport laptop search is constitutional when conducted in furtherance of an ongoing criminal investigation, several courts have reviewed warrantless, suspicionless laptop searches when conducted as part of routine customs inspections.
ISSN:2163-8756