Last night, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a decision to ban carry-on laptops and tablets on direct flights from eight Muslim-majority countries: Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Passengers traveling to the US from 10 airports in these countries will be barred from bringing laptops, tablets, or any devices “larger than a cellphone” as carry-on items; they will instead have to take them in checked luggage. It was reported on Tuesday that the UK is implementing a similar electronics ban on flights from some Middle Eastern countries.

The US government’s decision to ban carry-on electronics has sparked criticism, confusion, and a series of pressing questions.

What’s…

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