Computersight -

Portable storage devices have evolved rapidly from a simple 1.14MB floppy disk of the 90’s to the USB Memory Card, FLASH Disk, SD Microdrive and iPods of the 2000’s. The advancement of this technology has certainly improved the transfer of data from one computer to the next.

Gone are the days when a single document must be saved into numerous copies of diskettes. By a click or press of a button, files and programs can be downloaded into a single memory unit, and if that wasn’t enough, there’s even space for songs and movies.

This relatively new technology does make our lives easier. Instant access to files, high capacity to store important information and portable storage in our pockets. But with all good things, there is also the negative side. This kind of technology is now being used as a way to steal/smuggle information and data.

One of the key concerns of most governments right now is the violation of intellectual property rights. High capacity storage devices such as Apple’s iPod is now being used to smuggle software’s mpeg movies and pirated music to other foreign countries to be copied and burned into DVD’s and CD’s.

Since iPods are intended to be a personal portable mp3 player with a 60GB hard disk, it will be hard for anti-piracy organizations to inspect every unit entering the airport from abroad. Not only will it enrage the innocent tourists, but it will also violate their privacy and personal belongings.

Surely, this will be a constant problem for years to come.