Border control has become a much more serious affair in recent years in the wake of the rise in global terrorism, and anyone heading abroad is advised to check the contents of their suitcase very carefully before they pass through security control at the airport to make sure they have not inadvaertently packing anything they shouldnt have. 

But do you give a second thought to what’s on your mobile phone? Probably not, but perhaps you should. The Telegraph reports today that thousands of travellers are having their phones seized by the police, who are then downloading and storing personal data. The practice is perfectly legal under counter-terrorism laws, and there is no limit on how long they can retain the information. The laws give the police the right to grab the phone’s call history, contact books, photos and details of people the phone’s owner has emailed or texted. The powers does not extend to the contents of messages, which will come as a relief to some and a surprise to others, given how far they do.

The Telegraph reports that up to 60,000 people a year are “stopped and examined” as they enter or return to the UK under the auspices of the Terrorism Act 2000. It adds that it does not known how many of those have their phone data downloaded. Even so, if you do have some dodgy photos, or even QR codes, on your mobile, you have been warned…