k wrote:
Practically speaking, if i refuse the search, do i just get kicked off a flight, or do i go directly to jail (at which point they do the search anyway)?

I don't think you can refuse a customs search. Best case you have to return to the country of origin. That was one of the issues at trial here. As the defendent hadn't actually gotten in to Canada their lawyers argued that U.S. customs couldn't search him because he technically hadn't left. That arguement was rejected by the court. He was in no man's land. Even if you aren't in that situation, you can't stay forever in your country of origin on a tourist visa, and its likely that U.S. customs would inform the origin country of your refusal. They might decide not to let you back in, and as you aren't a citizen, you can't force them to.

If you've got a bunch of encrypted areas, are they gonna just pass it or force you to unlock that shit?

I don't think it has ever come up. Ultimately, how could they compell you to disclose the password absent a law which allows them to penalize you for failing to do so?

Real solutions? Maybe a Red Pill (discussed previously) to a hidden, encrypted iteration of the OS? Also, I recall reading about a software package, forgot now what it's called, for linux, that hid mutiple layers of encrypted file systems under your current one.

IMHO if our policies force innocent people to run such things because they are afraid of the government our policies have failed.

fuck the police state.

Here, Here.

RE: Police blotter: Laptop border searches OK'd | CNET News.com