No right of privacy at US borders for laptop files

instarx writes: The U.S. government contends that it is perfectly free to inspect every file on every laptop that enters the country, whether or not there is anything suspicious about the computer or its owner. Rummaging through a computers hard drive, the government says, is no different than looking through a suitcase. Recent court cases seem to support the government's position. However, there is one bright spot for citizens worried about government intrusion at the border: if your laptop files are encrypted, legal experts say, you probably cannot be forced to give the government the password — because doing so would violate your Constitutional right against self-incrimination [of course the government disagrees]. Several recent cases are discussed in the New York Times article by Adam Liptak [free registration required].