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How does TSA / Police detect pirated music?

H

HarryPot

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 5, 2009
1,085
548
Firstly of, I'l start by accepting that I DO have pirated music, but I'm in the process of changing that. I'm deleting many songs, and little by little, starting to buy songs I had pirated before.

But my questions is: how does the police or TSA detect pirated music? Never happened to me, but is it easy for them to know if you have illegal music?


Thanks.
 
adk said:
Why would the Transportation Security Administration care about you downloading Rhianna albums?
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Aren't they the ones responsible of checking your laptop in Airports?:eek:

Either way, how does someone know if you have pirated music?
 
my iPod that I passed through LAX had pirated music...

I really don't think they care...

unless you have a box filled with blank MP3 CD's saying "to sell for $1":D
 
They've been known to seize laptops under the guise of "national security". They can boot your computer from CD or USB and will look for "suspicious activity". Of course, busting anyone for anything is looked upon favorably when it's promotion time.

This usually happens in bigger airports in the international terminals.
Sorry, minorities. :(
 
I've never heard of anyone being arrested or detained at an airport because the security guys found pirated music on the laptop.

I think they're primarily looking for evidence of terrorist activity, or possession of the wrong kind of pornography.
 
I've never had my laptop searched by TSA.

My Volkswagen flip key on the other hand....I'm surprised they let me on the plane with it with the way they scrutinized it last time.
 
HarryPot said:
Aren't they the ones responsible of checking your laptop in Airports?:eek:

Either way, how does someone know if you have pirated music?
Click to expand...

They're responsible for getting you past security. They're not responsible for your data. They can't claim no responsibility for what happens to your devices as they pass through security and then decide to play judge and jury when it comes to your data.

You're the guy I avoid being behind in security, otherwise I'd be there twice as long waiting for you to figure out what to do with yourself. :D
 
The TSA can not copy or inspect your computer. Here is the truth straight from the source. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on the other hand, can confiscate and inspect your computer, external hard drive, or darn near anything else they want.

The way they find most of this stuff is because people do stupid stuff like put it in a folder called "torrent music" or something like that. Or, like in the case of this guy, put it in a folder called "Frostwire". With the right forensics software, you can also find out other info about the files.

Edit: Here's a link to an article discussing the court ruling dealing with searching laptops and such without cause.
 
HarryPot said:
Aren't they the ones responsible of checking your laptop in Airports?:eek:

Either way, how does someone know if you have pirated music?
Click to expand...

they don't check your laptop for pirated music........they're looking for bombs!
 
Music should be cool until someone decides to use song lyrics as a code source for very questionable activity.

OOPs...Should't have said that...

Dale
 
If you have any song by Justin Bieber, pirated or purchased you will be immediately escorted out of the airport by the TSA unless you are travelling to Canada.
 
On the actual topic of the OP's question, it's quite difficult for someone to prove (at least in the moment) that you don't own the music found on your laptop. It's not difficult to just say you have the CDs at home or you bought them off Amazon or whatever.

However, catching you in the act of downloading music is much, much easier. It also renders your whole library suspect, which could mean a much more thorough investigation into your collection and what you really own.
 
Thanks for the answers! I wasn't being paranoid, just curious if this was possible.:)

barkomatic said:
If you have any song by Justin Bieber, pirated or purchased you will be immediately escorted out of the airport by the TSA unless you are travelling to Canada.
Click to expand...

:D

jessica. said:
You're the guy I avoid being behind in security, otherwise I'd be there twice as long waiting for you to figure out what to do with yourself. :D
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Hahaha... I'm not paranoid or a nervous kind of guy. I swear.:cool:
 
iThinkergoiMac said:
On the actual topic of the OP's question, it's quite difficult for someone to prove (at least in the moment) that you don't own the music found on your laptop. It's not difficult to just say you have the CDs at home or you bought them off Amazon or whatever.

However, catching you in the act of downloading music is much, much easier. It also renders your whole library suspect, which could mean a much more thorough investigation into your collection and what you really own.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. My only doubt was that the files might have some kind of "history" that might say where they come from.
 
There are easier ways to avoid the TSA hassle such as taking the train cross country..those don't seem as easy to crash into buildings full of people either unless there's some freakish billion to one odds derailment that launches it like a missile somehow or go greyhound where everyone on the bus is already crazy as it is so no terrorist in their right mind would even consider taking it over.
 
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