Privacy czar raises flag over planned U.S. border password searches

[url]https://ca.yahoo.com/news/privacy-czar-raises-flag-over-203318322.html[/url]

OTTAWA â?? Canadian privacy could be imperilled by apparent U.S. plans to demand cellphone and social media passwords from foreign visitors, a federal watchdog says.
In a letter to the House of Commons public safety committee, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien warns the recent pronouncements from the Trump administration could mean intrusive searches â?? even at preclearance facilities in Canada.
In February, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly suggested at a hearing that American officials could ask people entering the U.S. about the Internet sites they visit as well as passwords to help assess their online activities.
Kelly's proposal prompted an American coalition of human rights and civil liberties organizations and experts in security, technology and the law to express "deep concern."
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that visitors to the U.S. could be forced to provide cellphone contacts and social-media passwords.
Currently, passengers flying to American cities through eight major Canadian airports can be precleared there by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
The Commons public safety committee is studying legislation that would expand preclearance operations.
Under the bill, U.S. searches at preclearance facilities would be governed by Canadian law, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
But Therrien says those protections appear to be hollow because they could not be enforced in court due to immunity provisions that significantly limit access to civil remedies for the actions of U.S. border officers carrying out preclearance duties.
In many situations, Therrien says in the letter, "it would appear that Canadians who wish to enter the U.S. will, at preclearance locations in Canada as well as at border points in the U.S., have to face the difficult choice of either accepting a search without grounds or forgoing their wish to travel to the U.S."
Under long-standing plans, preclearance is being expanded to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Quebec City's Jean Lesage International Airport, as well as for rail service in Montreal and Vancouver.
In March, Canada and the U.S. agreed to bring preclearance to other, unspecified locations.
The Liberal government says the preclearance arrangements would strengthen security and prosperity while ensuring respect for the sovereignty of both countries.
Efforts to move people and goods across the 49th parallel more quickly and efficiently have unfolded against a backdrop of uncertainty following Donald Trump's election in November.
The Nexus trusted-traveller cards of about 200 Canadian permanent residents were suddenly cancelled after Trump issued an executive immigration order banning visitors from several largely Muslim countries.
There have also been reports of minorities from Canada being turned away at the U.S. border.
â?? Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

Travel light then, carry a really basic phone, nothing to search. No apps to allow them to access social media either.

Better yet, don't travel to the United States.  It sounds like Trump has made going to the USA, the so called land of the free like entering a country behind the iron curtain, where you are guilty until proven innocent, and Canadians are welcome with an interrogation by law enforcement modeled on the Stasi.

Maybe somewhat of an exaggeration, but not too far off

Frankly I don't envy those who have to go to the US

RG

True... I have no need to go to the states now, and the current situation makes it even more unpalatable

Cleaning up a cell phone before entering the US is not a difficult task. Hate to say it but, for those who travel to the US, use a burner phone and don't use your personal phone to search 'questionable sited'. Even if you have an industry Twitter, only use it on a burner phone or one you won't travel to the US with.

 

If you don't have a burner, text apps can be uninstalled and reinstalled once you return. Cleaning up a personal phone is not difficult either though but be thorough when doing this. The greater difficulty comes when crossing into the US with a laptop as they are a little more difficult to clean up as they hold and leave traces of much info than a cellphone, for the most part.

 

IMHO, much of this will change back to what we are used to as normal after the next US Federal elections when The Iron Curtain part 2 will fall!

I wouldn't call it an Iron Curtain... Implies Trump has a plan... I'd call it the Red Neck border wall.

On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 10:57 AM, WhereIRoam said:

Cleaning up a cell phone before entering the US is not a difficult task. Hate to say it but, for those who travel to the US, use a burner phone and don't use your personal phone to search 'questionable sited'. Even if you have an industry Twitter, only use it on a burner phone or one you won't travel to the US with.

 

 

While it's true you can buy a cheap flip phone with nothing on it for trips to the United States and keep the smartphone at home US Border Services can also check your credit cards for purchases (under the guise of looking for buying cannabis, but what else is on their agenda?)  As for checking a phone, it isn't just apps, it's access to emails, texts, your contacts etc. If I travel I choose to give consent for a search when I'm crossing the border into their country, that's fair enough. But the people on my contacts list, that I've shared emails with and or texted with, all Canadians, and they don't travel, didn't consent to their names, emails, phone numbers etc being given to law enforcement, much less a foreign country (yes the United States not being Canada is a foreign country) And think of all information that can be gleaned from accessing your credit history by accessing your credit card.  Some laugh at this and don't realize just how intrusive searches like this really are.  And once U.S Border Services has it, no matter who becomes President next election, it's here to stay.  After all Canada and other countries don't vote in the US elections

OK my rant is over, I'm happy to be Canadian and can't see any reason now to go to the US any more

RG 

I just swap out my SD card on my phone and clear data 

10 minutes ago, Nicolette Vaughn said:

Just get a second burner phone for adult activities only. Also use a VPN. That’s what I do. My personal phone only has regular boring sites I visit and do not visit industry or porn sites whatsoever. If a person clears their history prior to crossing the border, that looks suspicious. Keep adult activities out of your main phone and there is nothing to worry about. My work phone has always stayed in Canada. Glad to be living here. 

Most new phones now have a built in private browser for operating in incognito mode leaving no trace on the phone of sites  visited. That's what I use for all my industry related and private surfing.  In regards to pictures and adult content I download or save.. That is all on my phones SD card which I switch out when I travel.

While the search without consent or reasonable cause is kinda scary I would expect that plain adult content that does not cross any social norms (child porn etc) is not gonna raise any issues for most people unless they have other reasons to suspect you.

Just my opinion