A sign of the times: In light of recent attacks in a handful of theaters around the United States, Regal Cinemas is now inspecting all bags before screenings.

The new rule began rolling out in early August and is slowing spreading across the country. On their website, Regal Cinemas explains the new rule:

“Security issues have become a daily part of our lives in America. Regal Entertainment Group wants our customers and staff to feel comfortable and safe when visiting or working in our theatres,” they write. “To ensure the safety of our guests and employees, backpacks and bags of any kind are subject to inspection prior to admission. We acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience and that it is not without flaws, but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety.”

The shift in policy will be a bit jarring to customers as they walk into the movie theater the first few times — After all, we’ve never had to deal with something like this before.

Many people will welcome the new rule because it’ll make them feel safer in theater (A place where we should’ve felt safe anyway). Others will surely feel unsettled by this new invasion of privacy as movie theater employees begin looking through our bags and discovering smuggled candy.

There were two attacks in movie theaters in the U.S. this summer alone which likely prompted Regal to create this rule. The first was in Lafayette, Louisiana when a gunman killed two women and himself during a screening of Trainwreck. The second attack came only a few weeks later during a screening of Mad Max in Nashville, Tennessee by a man armed with pepper spray, a hatchet, and a pellet gun. He was killed by police.

What do you think of this new bag inspection policy?

Would you like to see this rule roll out to more theaters in the U.S.?