Canada’s privacy commissioner ‘very concerned’ about U.S. border phone searches

Canada’s privacy czar says Canadians should be “very concerned” about their cell phones, computers and other electronic devices being searched by U.S. border agents.

Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien told a House of Commons committee Monday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers can look at mobile devices and even demand passwords under American law.

Therrien cited statistics indicating U.S. border searches of mobile phones had increased between 2015 and 2016.

He said the devices contain a lot of sensitive information and people should be very concerned.

New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen asked if that means no Canadian should cross the border with a phone, laptop or tablet unless they have comfort with a U.S. border official inspecting the contents.

Therrien said yes.

Cullen said one of his constituents in northern British Columbia was denied entry to the U.S. on health-related grounds because information on the person’s phone indicated a prescription for heart medication.

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-border-cellphone-password-search-1.4296331?cmp=rss