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Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

nytimes.com

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Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#21

Post by jliptzin »

Don't be fooled, Canadian border patrol proudly engages in this as well. I was recently driving across the border to Montreal on vacation when Canadian border agents, in addition to searching my car and personal belongings, demanded to see my cell phone and turn over the password. I simply asked why, since I didn't think I was doing anything suspicious, at which point the agent angrily responded "because I can and now I'm going to search it extra thoroughly." I asked what would happen if I didn't turn the password over and just went back home to the US, they told me they'd seize the device and put me in prison until they break into it. So, I gave the password, 3 agents took it in the back for 45 minutes, came back and questioned me about some texts I had with a friend from months ago who was talking about marijuana, and eventually let me pass to Canada. Hopefully they didn't hold on to all my personal data or install backdoors but just in case I wiped the phone and reinstalled from a backup.

In any case, this was extremely intrusive and I couldn't stop thinking about it the whole trip. I wondered what would happen if I had actually forgotten my phone password - just weeks before I changed from a 6 digit numeric code to a longer alphanumeric and almost forgot it since it had been a while since the last time I restarted my phone requiring password entry. I had a lot of very private photos and conversations on there with my SO. Definitely ruined my whole vacation.

Edit: Also, they didn't just stick to private photos and messages, they even opened up dating apps checking for messages there, opened up unread snap and kik messages too.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#22

Post by neom »

leeoniya wrote: post #4

"Keeping America safe and enforcing our nation’s laws in an increasingly digital world depends on our ability to lawfully examine all materials entering the U.S.," What does "lawfully" even mean in this context? It's one of those words used specifically to excuse legally questionable practices at best, and outright illegal or unethical behavior by people in positions of authority, like parallel construction and evide…

Keep in mind that constitutional principles do not apply fully at US borders.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#23

Post by ryfm »

huangc10 wrote: post #16

As a Canadian living in the US, I've had a lot of trouble with US Customs at both airports (YVR, YYZ) and border crossing (Vancouver, Niagara). However, I don't deny that it is at times necessary for Customs officers to be more strict. I would rather the officers do their jobs correctly and prevent incidents (drug smuggling, terrorism etc.) from happening. Although at times they do seem to be unnecessarily aggressive…

As a green card holder, living in Seattle I travel a lot to Vancouver, BC (15-20 times a year). I haven't had a single problem with US CBP, but Canadian one gives me a hard time every other visit. Though it's an anecdotal evidence of course.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#24

Post by Swizec »

TillE wrote: post #17
nostromo wrote: post #3

I'm so embarrassed how America treats people entering the U.S. It's the first experience foreigners have in our country, and we make it one of the worst experiences in the developed world. Industries that benefit from tourism should lobby the Federal Government to improve the travel experience to, from, and within the US. I personally would fly at least a few more times a year if the TSA/CBP process treated people wi…

It's usually a pretty grim experience even as a citizen reentering the US, but at least we're not required to give our fingerprints. I would never travel to a country which demanded that.

Economic prosperity vs not giving up my fingerprints.

Hmmmmmm

Seemed like an easy decision when getting my visa and every time I reenter.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#25

Post by desireco42 »

nostromo wrote: post #3

I'm so embarrassed how America treats people entering the U.S. It's the first experience foreigners have in our country, and we make it one of the worst experiences in the developed world. Industries that benefit from tourism should lobby the Federal Government to improve the travel experience to, from, and within the US. I personally would fly at least a few more times a year if the TSA/CBP process treated people wi…

Same here. I am citizen, yet I am not comfortable crossing the border, I can't imagine how it is for others.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#26

Post by ericthor »

Another case from 2013...

US Citizens, Phones stolen, detained without explanation, and officers refused to give names.

"OTM producer Sarah Abdurrahman, her family, and her friends were detained for hours by US Customs and Border Protection on their way home from Canada. Everyone being held was a US citizen, and no one received an explanation. Sarah tells the story of their detainment, and her difficulty getting any answers from one of the least transparent agencies in the country."

It's an audio podcasts, but there are transcript as well.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/my-detainment-story-or-how-i-learn...

More on the subject. http://www.wnyc.org/story/on-the-media-2014-02-28/

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#27

Post by neom »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #11

Interestingly, even US citizens aren't exempted from this. Constitutional rights seemingly don't apply at the border.

What's weird to me is that basically "reasonable suspicion" is simply substituted for a court order when it comes to border enforcement officers, however, it seems that at no point during your encounter with one are they obliged to convey to you what that "reasonable suspicion" is.

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#28

Post by buildbot »

Given how everything in most phones is by default encrypted these days, I wonder how diffult I would be for someone like Apple to offer a border crossing mode that has whatever apps you deem acceptable, while firewalling off others in an undetectable way?

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#29

Post by weaksauce »

debt wrote: post #10

why would they tamper with or replace the sim cards? seems like it'd be smarter these days to be more covert about your photojournalism career; might be smart to have a cover. also standing rock is reaching a boiling point. it's obviously becoming a national security issue if they're stopping people at the border.

perhaps to track the phone later? see if there are any contacts on the sim card and cross reference those. replace it with some other chip that does something else?

Re: Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms

#30

Post by yladiz »

It doesn't mention in the article if he had a work visa, but I imagine he did if he was assigned by CBC to cover the event. It's pretty terrible that a journalist would be denied entry into a country that supposedly has high press freedom on an official assignment because the government (or maybe just the officer who denied him) doesn't like what's happening in Standing Rock. It's even stranger that 1) he is a well known Canadian journalist, so he's probably as low risk as someone could be, and 2) if this would have been a problem, I'm sure that CBC would have taken care of it ahead of time and made sure everything was in order, but it must be so routine for journalists to come from Canada that there wasn't any other necessary preparations besides getting the visa (which should be enough anyway...). We might not have "minders" while we're in the country, but it seems we now have them when entering.
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