The Canadian border agency wants to cover the nation’s airports with spy-ears that can listen in on and record your conversations from a distance. They’ve already done it for some airports, though they’re not saying which.
Don’t worry, though, they won’t turn them on without a “privacy impact assessment.”
Because the impact this will have on privacy isn’t totally fucking obvious.
The recording equipment may also be linked to a federal initiative to help CBSA combat organized crime and internal smuggling conspiracies at big Canadian airports.
A 2008 RCMP report said at least 58 crime groups were believed active at major airports, typically by corrupting airport employees or placing criminal associates in airport jobs to move narcotics and other contraband to and from planes.
The Customs Act was amended in 2009 to allow for the creation of “customs controlled areas” within airports, starting with those in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, followed by Ottawa and other international Canadian aerodromes.
Listening equipment ‘will record conversations’ at Canadian airports: CBSA
(via /.)