Tag: department of homeland security

The Department of Homeland Security is warning travelers about new scrutiny over electronic devices.

There has now been a caution issued by the Department of Homeland Security for travelers, which has stated that new tighter regulations for electronic and mobile technology will be going into place in airports that have flights that are headed directly into the United States.

So far, the department hasn’t gone on to provide a great deal of detail about what those changes will entail.

Earlier this week, security officials added to the department’s earlier statement by saying that the focus is being placed primarily on identifying explosives that could be hidden in the form of electronic and mobile technology devices, such as a cell phone. The Transportation Security Administration followed up by issuing a statement that said that a part of its typical screening routine at the overseas airports that have flights that head directly to the united states will include a potential request for device owners to turn them on.

Therefore, it is important not to bring mobile technology with dead batteries onto those flights.

This can include everything from laptops to cell phones and pretty much everything in between. If a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other device, cannot be turned on, then they will not be permitted onto the flights, said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Travelers with devices that have dead batteries or that cannot be turned on for some other reason may also be subject to additional forms of screening, such as pat-downs.

Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, said that “In this instance, we felt that it was important to crank it up some at the last point-of-departure airports.” Johnson added that “we’ll continually evaluate the situation.”

Johnson explained that this latest change in policies is working to help to stop the next form of attack from happening in the first place, instead of reacting to one that has already occurred. However, he also said that there is no reason to speculate about upcoming attacks. “We know that there remains a terrorist threat to the United States,” he said, adding that “aviation security is a large part of that.”

So far, there has been little objection from the public that has been heard regarding the announcement regarding electronics and mobile technology checks.

BitCoins could have a bright future in mobile commerce

Virtual currency is gaining more popularity as consumers become more reliant on technology. BitCoins are considered the most popular of the virtual currencies that are currently available. These digital coins are exceedingly valuable, with a single coin being worth more than $240 at the height of its value. Virtual currencies are quite useful in the realm of mobile commerce, but they represent a certain risk in terms of a country’s economy because they are not strictly regulated like other currencies.

US agencies consider virtual currency threatening

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security considers BitCoins to be a serious threat. This currency is often used to purchase regular products from outlets like Amazon and eBay. BitCoins can, however, be used to purchase goods off the black market and are one of the ideal currencies in the drug trade. The federal agency recently seized the assets of Mt. Gox, the world’s largest BitCoin exchange, but this has done little to draw attention from the mobile commerce prospects of this currency.

BitPay aims to make BitCoins more mobile

BitPay, a relatively new startup focused on virtual currencies, has recently launched a new mobile commerce service. The company has announced that it has raised more than $2 million in funding for this initiative and aims to have it available to consumers in the near future. The new service will allow consumers to use BitCoins in a mobile commerce setting, offering consumers a way to use this currency on their mobile devices. BitPay believes that it is only a matter of time before BitCoins become as popular as email.

Mobile commerce may benefit from virtual currencies

BitPay has been in business since 2011, but the company has been relatively secretive since its founding. BitPay offers legal services that are often frowned upon given the association that BitCoins have with illegal activities and products. BitCoins themselves are not actually illegal in any way and have been gaining a significant amount of attention in the mobile commerce field as a way to encourage consumers to purchase products through their mobile devices.