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Travelling across US borders may further get beleaguered, as US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have instructed the border regulating authorities, to confiscate laptops of travellers.
The new guidelines allow the concerned authorities to seize and examine electronic devices, including- laptops, mobile phones, portable music players (PMPs), storage devices, etc.
The policy stated that the inspection of document and electronic devices is an important tool for identifying information-related terrorism, drug trafficking, and other such security issues; evidently, the move will help in combating varied range of cross border crimes.
Russ Feingold, US Senator stated that the new policy would allow the custom officials to examine the matter of the laptops without any hint of misconduct from them; however, “the policies that have been disclosed are truly alarming”, Feingold added.
The DHS have publicly announced the policy on 16 July, which was already existed, has been strongly denounced by a number of privacy advocates, and non profit agencies of US, for invading individual’s privacy rights.
The new guidelines allow the concerned authorities to seize and examine electronic devices, including- laptops, mobile phones, portable music players (PMPs), storage devices, etc.
The policy stated that the inspection of document and electronic devices is an important tool for identifying information-related terrorism, drug trafficking, and other such security issues; evidently, the move will help in combating varied range of cross border crimes.
Russ Feingold, US Senator stated that the new policy would allow the custom officials to examine the matter of the laptops without any hint of misconduct from them; however, “the policies that have been disclosed are truly alarming”, Feingold added.
The DHS have publicly announced the policy on 16 July, which was already existed, has been strongly denounced by a number of privacy advocates, and non profit agencies of US, for invading individual’s privacy rights.
