• Kairos@lemmy.today
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    6 months ago

    Hey just FYI it’s illegal to have your bag searched as a condition of exiting. At least in the US. It’s kidnapping.

    • RyanGosling [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      6 months ago

      To elaborate: if the store does not require any sort of membership or rule to use (e.g. not a Costco or Sam’s Club), no one has the authority to stop you or search you. You can ignore them and just walk out. But if they ask you to leave, you do have to leave or else it’s trespassing, but they must warn you and give you the opportunity to leave first.

      Also, if you do give consent to be searched or detained by security/staff, then basically you lose most of your defenses. They can do whatever they want to a “reasonable” degree, e.g. rummage through your shit, dump it all out, take pictures, make you wait for cops, etc.

      I usually just flash my receipt to the old lady when I leave and they wave me through. But if there’s a long line I’m just going to cut everyone and leave lol.

      • Kairos@lemmy.today
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        6 months ago

        Also, the membership doesn’t intrinsically allow them to do that, there’s a provision in the agreement.