PDAs are searchable by cops, I expect. Re: Transparency, was re: On January 28th, Criminals No Longer Another Face ...

From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp-lib.org)
Date: Sun Feb 04 2001 - 10:46:44 MST


Bear in mind that courts have so far said that it's OK for cops to read
your address book and the contents of your cellphone speed dial
directory during an ordinary search (not sure if that's search incident
to arrest, or the detainment "pat down"--I would hope it's the former,
since the pat down is supposed to be an officer safety issue. Well, hope
is too strong a word, but you get what I mean.).

I don't know of any specific cases yet regarding PDAs, but the writing's
on the wall. Encrypt encrypt OK. And have off body backing store.

GBurch1@aol.com wrote:
> Now, how would such a presumption impact police behavior? One, it would make
> them very careful not to interfere with a citizen's PDA, if she had one.
> Two, it would encourage people who believe that they might be subject to
> improper police behavior to get and maintain PDAs. Three, it would encourage
> the police to develop and maintain the best possible recording equipment,
> with the best possible security against tampering - by the police or anyone
> else. Finally, it would create on the part of the government a keen interest
> in the development and implementation of secure, tamper-proof data protocols
> for EVERYONE, police and citizen alike.
>
> Criticisms?
>
> Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
> Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
> http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
> ICQ # 61112550
> "We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know
> enough to get by. Every question we answer leads on to another
> question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species."
> -- Desmond Morris



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