Plans to demand cellphone and social media passwords from foreign visitors at the U.S. border pose a risk to Canadians, the privacy commissioner said Tuesday.
By Jim BronskillThe Canadian Press
Tues., May 30, 2017
OTTAWA—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 — 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.
More:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/30/canadian-privacy-threatened-by-us-border-searches-watchdog-says.html
