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Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

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Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#241
post #71

I decided a long time ago that I will never travel to the US because I'm not white and cares about my privacy.

That's an absurd decision. The US has tens of millions of annual visitors, and given that the majority of the Earth isn't white, it's likely that a majority of the visitors aren't. While the stories that hit the press are negative (and hence newsworthy), millions travel in and out without incident. If you look at this statistically, you have a one in a million chance of having your phone searched at the border

The fact you have no human rights within the boder and must follow every orders from police without requiring the court order or face violence, detention without arrest, declined to contact the lawyer, or simply be shot are enough to avoid such place.

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#242
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Why is your phone completely blank? What are you trying to hide? Give me your Facebook login or you're going nowhere. Okay thanks, but you're still going nowhere... and your flight just left. That'll be $2000 for a new ticket."

Well, sir, I'm glad you asked. I just upgraded for this trip and am very excited to try out the new camera as it's supposed to be about two times better than the last model I had. I'm planning on setting everything up on my flight. I do not have a facebook account. I got tired of the data breaches and privacy issues and closed it about a year and a half ago. Am I free to go?

Assuming you do indeed have a FB account, the scene continues like this.

(Officer opens his laptop, searches your name on Facebook and finds someone with your name from the city you live in and your mug as their profile picture).

“Sir, you’re under arrest for the felony crime of lying to a Federal law enforcement agent. You have the right to remain silent...”

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#243
post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Formal checkpoints, yes. A cluster of agents standing in the jetway and pulling people aside as they board the plane - not uncommon.

In the US? I've traveled internationally almost continually for the last six years or so and have never seen that or any outbound customs checking.

Interesting. Flying out of SFO, I’ve seen it several times over the past few years, also logging a good dozen overseas flights per year ...

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically services where you can pay a few hundred dollars a year and get "pre-screened" so you have to do less when entering another country. You also get to go to the nexus/global entry only line so your time spent in line is often shorter as well.

> few hundred dollars a year Nexus is $50 for five years (and includes Global Entry and TSA pre-check. Global Entry is $100 for five years (and includes TSA Pre-check) TSA Pre-check alone is $85 for five years. If you’re near a Canadian border, Nexus is the best financial deal. None of them are “few hundred dollars per year”.

Also, many travel credit cards will cover the $50/$100 charge whenever it needs to be renewed.

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Most people” seems like a bit of a stretch...

The "most people" actually comes from the part he left out... it's not just 100 miles from any border, it's 100 miles from any international airport, which does include most people.

No, an intl airport is a point of entry, but not a border.

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They’ll still detain you till you input your passcode. Or they’ll beat you with a rubber hose, if you’re in those parts of the world.

> those parts of the world. Somehow the only horror stories I read (or experience) is about US or five eyes (NZ being exception).

People in those other countries don't have a right to complain. If you have something incriminating in many countries you just disappear, possibly after a show trial.

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#247
post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But a smartphone is not blank. What does 'blank' mean really? It's choke full of apps, whether you want them or not, from the factory. If you just use it to call with (as I do), then the only activity is a shortish call log.

I'd expect a response along the lines of this if I presented a factory-erased phone to CBP... "Everyone has a Facebook sir, even my grandma and my boss. And I'm pressing buttons on your cellphone and it's asking me to set things up, so it's obvious you wiped it and have something to hide. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either you start being honest with me, or you're not catching that flight, or any fli…

Just after factory reset is a bit too far of course. You'll go through the setup. After that it's just as any old phone.

And no, I don't have Facebook, and I'm definitely not alone. It's not something that I would feel problematic to defend.

Re: Man sues feds after being detained for refusing to unlock his phone at airport

#248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "most people" actually comes from the part he left out... it's not just 100 miles from any border, it's 100 miles from any international airport, which does include most people.

No, an intl airport is a point of entry, but not a border.

True, but it looks like the "100 miles from an airport" part of the law was not enacted after all. My mistake.
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