It is and it isn't, there are circumstances where the best outcome is to be helpful and compliant, and other circumstances where you'll want to protect yourself from search.
Absolutely, if I travel with a company laptop and I am asked to unlock it I'll outright refuse and cite that I can and will be sued by my employer if I unlock it, and will direct the airport security to my employer's legal team.
I don't want to open myself up for litigation so I'll definitely put up a fight in this case.
Would you say more about your employer suing you if you cave under pressure and unlock the laptop? That sounds to me like your employer is asking a lot of you! Or, if you are bluffing to security about the suing, why are you putting your personal safety on the line to protect your employer?
It's a weighing of risks, really. I don't value neither airport security or my employer's secrets as highly as my own safety but will weigh in the risk as the situation develops.
If I am asked to accompany them to the dark room I'll just give up, unlock the laptop, hand it to them and then quietly inform my employer's legal team that a potential security breach has occurred (after I get safely to a hotel).
I really don't want to spend time in jail because of a nervous cop.
Yikes, I hope you are well paid! (Re: 1 and 3. 2 is table stakes in this day and age. In fact re: 2, would you be willing to share a scenario that calls for sneakernet by courier vs a network storage/transfer?)
Interesting that your employer would be so zealous about it, my employer's written policy is "Always cooperate with security/customs. If they want your computer unlocked, unlock it. Your safety is more important than our secrets, just call corporate security when you're released."
Yeah, they kind of said that too, with the addition of "resist for a bit, don't immediately comply, only back off if there's no choice". But yeah, I get what you're saying. Don't think I'll ever sign such a contract again though.
Your employer has no grounds to sue you with no tangible damages. Unlocking your computer for an airport security meat head isn't gonna compromise your employer's trade secrets.
They might have no grounds per se but when they make you sign a contract stating that they do, then they do. I shouldn't have signed it, I know, but I haven't planned on traveling anyway so didn't care at the time.
If you're not on their radar, being polite and forgettable is a great way to stay that way.
If you're already in custody, anything you say while being friendly can and will be used against you in court, so your vocabulary should probably be limited to the word "lawyer."
The problem starts when being polite and forgettable puts you on their radar. Police look in your backpack, and hey - it's a bike lock just like the one that was used to assault someone down the block a few minutes ago! You look about the right height. Which direction did you say you were coming from again?
Some situations can be lose-lose. Best you can do is don't talk to the police, and if you absolutely must, say as little as possible and don't lie.
In some instances maybe, in others it might be good. It can also be a gamble.
If you're afraid for your safety or they are clearly overstepping their bounds, then complying and fighting it in court is basically the only option (even though it's possible you still get screwed). Otherwise, knowing an asserting your rights can be good, but you have to hope the cop isnt unhinged, dirty, or totally incompetent.