https://www.engadget.com/us-border-forces-traveler-data-15-years-085106938.html * Home * Products + Phones + Laptops + Headphones + Gaming Consoles + Smartwatches + View all * Reviews + Best in Tech + Hands-On + View all * Gaming + Best Games + PlayStation + Nintendo + Xbox + View all * Gear + Amazon + Apple + Google + Microsoft + Samsung + View all * Entertainment + Movies + Music + TV + YouTube + View all * Tomorrow + Space + AI + Robotics + Transportation + View all * Deals * Buying Guides + Back to School Tech + Best Kitchen Tech + Best Tech + Best Laptops + Best Gaming Laptops + Best Bluetooth Speakers * Video * Podcasts Login Sign up Engadget Login * Products + Phones + Laptops + Headphones + Gaming Consoles + Smartwatches + View all * Reviews + Best in Tech + Hands-On + View all * Gaming + Best Games + PlayStation + Nintendo + Xbox + View all * Gear + Amazon + Apple + Google + Microsoft + Samsung + View all * Entertainment + Movies + Music + TV + YouTube + View all * Tomorrow + Space + AI + Robotics + Transportation + View all * Deals * Buying Guides + Back to School Tech + Best Kitchen Tech + Best Tech + Best Laptops + Best Gaming Laptops + Best Bluetooth Speakers * Video * Podcasts * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube Sections * Products * Reviews * Gaming * Gear * Entertainment * Tomorrow * Deals * Buying Guides * Video * Podcasts Login [ ] US border forces are seizing Americans' phone data and storing it for 15 years Border officials can copy information from travelers' phones without a warrant. Mariella Moon M. Moon|09.16.22 @mariella_moon Sponsored Links Relevant ads info Mariella Moon M. Moon @mariella_moon September 16, 2022 4:51 AM In this article: news, gear, Homeland Security, Customs, tomorrow Unrecognizable people, a view from the back, a queue at the airport for check-in.ilona titova via Getty Images If a traveler's phone, tablet or computer ever gets searched at an airport, American border authorities could add data from their device to a massive database that can be accessed by thousands of government officials. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leaders have admitted to lawmakers in a briefing that its officials are adding information to a database from as many as 10,000 devices every year, The Washington Post reports. Further, 2,700 CBP officers can access the database without a warrant and without having to record the purpose of their search. These details were revealed in a letter Senator Ron Wyden wrote to CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus, where the lawmaker also said that CBP keeps any information it takes from people's devices for 15 years. In the letter, Wyden urged the commissioner to update CBP's practices so that device searches at borders are focused on suspected criminals and security threats instead of allowing "indiscriminate rifling through Americans' private records without suspicion of a crime." Wyden said CBP takes sensitive information from people's devices, including text messages, call logs, contact lists and even photos and other private information in some cases. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not nowTurn onTurned onTurn on While law enforcement agencies are typically required to secure a warrant if they want to access the contents of a phone or any other electronic device, border authorities are exempted from having to do the same. Wyden also pointed out that travelers searched at airports, seaports and border crossings aren't informed of their rights before their devices are searched. And if they refuse to unlock their electronics, authorities could confiscate and keep them for five days. As The Post notes, a CBP official previously went on record to say that the agency's directive gives its officers the authority to scroll through any traveler's device in a "basic search." If they find any "reasonable suspicion" that a traveler is breaking the law or doing something that poses a threat to national security, they can run a more advanced search. That's when they can plug in the traveler's phone, tablet or PC to a device that copies their information, which is then stored in the Automated Targeting System database. CBP director of office of field operations Aaron Bowker told the publication that the agency only copies people's data when "absolutely necessary." Bowker didn't deny that the agency's officers can access the database, though -- he even said that the number was bigger than what CBP officials told Wyden. Five percent of CBP's 60,000 personnel have access to the database, he said, which translates to 3,000 officers and not 2,700. Wyden wrote in his letter: "Innocent Americans should not be tricked into unlocking their phones and laptops. CBP should not dump data obtained through thousands of warrantless phone searches into a central database, retain the data for fifteen years, and allow thousands of DHS employees to search through Americans' personal data whenever they want." Two years ago, the Senator also called for an investigation into the CBP's use of commercially available location data to track people's phones without a warrant. CBP had admitted back then that it spent $500,000 to access a commercial database containing "location data mined from applications on millions of Americans' mobile phones." All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. Popular on Engadget * iPhone 14 Pro The Morning After: The verdict on the iPhone 14 Pro * ANTALYA, TURKEY - DECEMBER 6: Intel processor chip for Samsung is seen in this illustration photo in Antalya, Turkey on December 06, 2019. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Intel drops the Celeron and Pentium names for its low-end laptop CPUs (updated) * Apple iPad (2021) review photos Apple's 10.2-inch iPad drops to $280, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals * The Sony PlayStation VR2 virtual reality head gear and controllers. Sony says 'PS VR games are not compatible with PS VR2' About Engadget MastheadAbout our AdsAdvertiseFAQRSS Feed Sections ReviewsGearGamingEntertainmentTomorrowThe Buyers GuideVideoPodcasts Deals Contribute Comment GuidelinesSupport International Fan Ti Zhong Wen Subscribe to our two newsletters: [*] Engadget Deals - A weekly roundup of our favorite tech deals [*] The Morning After - A daily dose of the news you need [ ] Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter Subscribe Follow Us * * * * * (c) 2022 Yahoo. All rights reserved. * About Us * Reprints and Permissions * Suggestions * Privacy Policy (Updated) * Terms of Service (Updated) * Trademarks * Advertise * About Our Ads [p]