Cyberseurity

U.S. customs agents are searching more cellphones — including those belonging to Americans

U.S. customs agents conducted 60 percent more searches of travelers’ cellphones, laptops and other electronic devices during the government’s 2017 fiscal year, according to statistics released Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The agency said it searched 30,200 devices but the inspections affected only 0.007 percent of the 397 million travelers — including American citizens as well as foreign visitors — who arrived from abroad during the 12-month period that ended Sept 30.

CBP published the figures as it issued new guidelines formalizing the way its officers conduct searches and handle the information they obtain.

The agency said the increase was not the result of a policy directive, but rather an indication that electronic devices are increasingly viewed as critical sources of information on potential security threats.