Privacy

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The U.S. Government Quietly Just Made It Legal to Go Through Your Phone at the Border (lataco.com)

submitted 4 days ago by technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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An Appeals Court panel has ruled that federal agents can legally search through travelers' cell phones without reasonable suspicion, probable cause, or a warrant when they cross an international border.

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[–] hyacin@lemmy.ml 22 points 3 days ago (5 children)

make sure that it is off during the entire transit

I've never had them insist that I can recall, but I do remember reading, I believe in the TSA docs, that any devices are supposed to be powered on and able to be demonstrated to be working or something to that effect ... I guess to make sure it's not just a phone-shaped bomb or whatever.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Even if they have you powered on, the fact that it's in the before-first unlock state means that the file-based encryption still holds and it cannot be unlocked with biometrics.

[–] darkstar@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

This is true, but depending on the phone model and processor type, there are still exploits that can bypass bfu state

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 7 hours ago

Mmm, good point

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 days ago

They just ask you tonpiwer it on. Did it for a laptop once.

[–] Glytch@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Makes a little more sense when you consider Israel's pager bombs.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

and when you consider the surveillance state. security from "terrorists" is a great excuse, up there with protecting the children.

[–] moldy_rice@piefed.keyboardvagabond.com 3 points 3 days ago

No it doesn't. Those were fully functioning devices with a maliciously modified battery with zero extra footprint.

[–] charles@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago

Only time I've ever had an "electronic" device checked like that was at an airport in Europe about 15 years ago (if memory serves me right, I think it was CDG in France). I had a DSLR with a couple extra lenses and they asked me to turn on the camera and take a picture with each lense attached. They also asked to view through the viewfinder with each.

[–] moldy_rice@piefed.keyboardvagabond.com 1 points 3 days ago

They can boot it to the password prompt and shut it down again.