CC Image courtesy of Bun Thoeun Pein: http://bit.ly/2ilgBRd
Almost a Third Strongly Disapprove of Warrantless
Device Searches at the Border
Toronto,
August 21st – In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ amongst
1150 Canadian voters, almost a third (30%) strongly disapprove of Canadian
border officers searching devices such as laptops and cell phones at the border
without a warrant, while almost half (BTM2: 46%) disapprove, overall.
Almost a quarter
(22%) strongly approve of border officers’ ability to search devices at the
border without a warrant, while more than a third (TOP2: 37%) approve, overall.
Just over one-in-ten
(14%) says they neither approve nor disapprove, and (4%) say they do not know.
Respondents most
likely to disapprove include those 34 and younger (58%), males (48%), those
earning $80,000-$100,000 (60%), living in the Atlantic Provinces (54%), or
Alberta (52%), with a post-graduate degree (57%), and supporting the NDP (54%)
or Green Party (57%).
Respondents most
likely to approve include those 65 and older (51%), earning $40,000-$60,000
(48%), the least educated (49%), and supporting the Conservatives (50%)
“Almost half
disapprove of border officers searching their devices at the border without a
warrant, but a strong minority approve of the practice. There is a clear
ideological divide on the issue, but generally opinion skews toward privacy
over security,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President
of Forum Research.
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at
lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
