Is it legal for airport security staff to check your data? In some countries it is. Unfortunately there are no guidelines, rules, or limitations by which they can or can't search your files. Another example of the Patriot Act gone too far.

Of course I DO NOT condone illegal data being stored on travellers laptops (i.e. child porn) but I do believe in protecting my rights. I think you will see a lot more travellers encrypting their data from now on. At which point security staff may gain the legal means to force people to un-encrypt their data. When does it end?

Hard drives to testify