International travellers face computer searches at UK Customs
International travellers face having their laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods and USB memory sticks scanned and copied at will by customs officials under a proposed global anti-counterfeiting trade deal.
Japan and the US are pushing for the so-called Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to be finalised by the end of the year. Participants have kept details of the agreement secret but information has emerged in consultation papers published by an Australian copyright trade body, the Australian Digital Alliance.
A submission by ADA to the Australian government revealed proposals to extend customs' powers to search, seize and destroy material that infringed copyright and the facilities used to produce the copies. Other proposals were to criminalise infringements and to open infringers to higher fines and claims for damages.
