Last week, a new law in New Zealand, the Customs and Excise Act 2018, gave customs officials the power to confiscate and retain digital devices and request passwords so information can be read and cloned. Refusal to comply can result in tourists being hit with a fine of up to NZ$5000. And while you can appeal later, the reality is once your unlocked device has been handed over your data, and any data that connects you to other people such as email or instant messages are no longer private. This is a sign of increasingly invasive laws permeating our society.

We're often told that one of the best protections we can have for our data is to use end-to-end encryption when data is at rest and in-flight so, in the event data is lost either accidentally or though a malicious act, the potential damage is minimised. But a recent study of 331 individuals conducted by the pinion Institute and sponsored by Thales - who has a big business in encryption - says just 32% of Australians have an enterprise-wide encryption policy.

Over the last few years, air travel and work have become a lot more compatible. While tray tables are still too small and seats are too close together, it’s possible to read a bunch of email and plough through some jobs. Phones can be used right up till take off and almost as soon as we land and in-flight Internet is common in the US and coming soon to Australia. But the US government’s decision to band anything larger than a mobile phone from flights operated by certain airlines operating out of the Arab world is bad news. And possibly the thin edge of the wedge.

If international travel and airport security measures weren't uncomfortable enough, TSA recently revealed they're making pat down procedures a little more invasive in US airports. A spokesperson told Bloomberg, "I would say people who in the past would have gotten a pat-down that wasn't involved will notice that the pat-down is more involved."

You've checked in online and printed out your boarding pass. You arrive at the airport to find that your flight has been cancelled or severely delayed. Don't panic. Rather than lining up at your airline's check-in counter for answers, going through the security screening process may be your best option.

We all know to avoid packing the obvious things that could make airport security physically search your bag, but sometimes it might still be singled out despite your best efforts. Here's what airport security looks for and how to pack your bags accordingly to reduce the likelihood that they search your bag.

As you'll soon learn, some travel bag locks aren't that reliable. If people really wanted to get into your luggage, they'd be able to with something as simple as a ballpoint pen.

In a move that sounds convenient and a little terrifying, international travellers to Australia may not need a passport by 2020. Instead, our border security is looking to implement a biometric system that recognises faces, irises and/or fingerprints in place of printed IDs.

Travel can be dehumanising, which is why it's important to be the best human you can be as you slog through airport security. Even if you can't make the experience of getting herded and scrutinised fun, you can take simple steps to at least avoid adding to the unpleasantness.