Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

theintercept.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 172 posts

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#71

Post by joezydeco »

seethishat wrote: post #4

Don't carry them with you. I'm old and I can tell you from experience... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think.

I've done a fair bit of domestic (USA) flying over the last six months and when flights are spontaneously cancelled for weather/staffing/crew timeouts/random apocalyptic actions, a phone has been priceless in getting quickly rebooked and out of the trouble zone. Even if that means cancelling the flight and buying a ticket on a different airline (looking at you, AA)

You do not want to spend an hour in the customer service line to find out that all open seats on the next flight out were scooped up 59 minutes ago.

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#72

Post by f1shy »

blovescoffee wrote: post #7
seethishat wrote: post #4

Don't carry them with you. I'm old and I can tell you from experience... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think.

Do you really recommend people travel internationally in 2026 without a cellphone? I’m kind of bewildered by this suggestion. As someone who has to go between LATAM and US frequently, I have no choice but to bring my cellphone.

IMHO today is difficult to do anything without a smartphone. I hate the state of affairs, but it is just so. Anything needs an app to work. Public services in some countries requiere it. Paying, etc.

But in traveling is almost essential. GPS to navigate, search for hotels, places to eat, take fotos… yes, you could carry many devices… but seriously?! Ah btw… what about being in touch with family?

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#73

Post by hedora »

g947o wrote: post #53

Airlines like Alaska Airlines make it very difficult to board a plane without a phone. It's still possible, but you need to prepare early and get your boarding pass printed at home, provided that you have a printer, apparently.

I remember when Alaska Airlines wasn't terrible.

Any idea what happened? New CEO? Acquisition?

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#74

Post by tpetry »

nine_k wrote: post #62
joe_mamba wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>you had to restore it over the VPN after a safe arrival How do you restore it via VPN? Don't you first need a workable OS to connect to VPN first?

You have a working OS! But you're logged out, all sensitive data is removed (safely overwritten with random data first), and you don't have the means to connect to the VPN or anything corporate (it was before zero-trust architecture), even at gunpoint. You can check your flight status, or look up a cafe nearby to eat, etc. But you have to go to a Google office in the destination city, identity yourself, and get the t…

I do understand why all these steps are required. And they are good. But how should zero-trust architecture solve that? You‘re still authenticated what the core problem is.

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#75

Post by nabbed »

seethishat wrote: post #4

Don't carry them with you. I'm old and I can tell you from experience... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think.

>It's not as hard as you think.

You're probably right, still...

I often wonder how I survived going for a random drive or even simply leaving the house from 1980 through to the advent of smart phones. Was I simply more brave and self-sufficient back then?

But then I note that there was some infrastructure and also some attitude differences back then that don't exist now.

When my car would break down in the 1980s or 1990s, typically there would be a pay phone nearby. One time in the early 90s, I just knocked on a random door and the resident let me use their land line to call a tow truck (I'm not sure anyone would let a random stranger into their home now, but maybe they still do). Breaking down in the boonies was no fun, but likely someone would come by eventually and help (or murder you, but probably help).

I was reminded recently of this when I went to park in the city in a garage that I frequently patronize only to find they had removed the payment terminal, which was replaced by a sign that said "use our app!". I have a low-data phone plan, so if I had to install their app, I would probably blow past my limit for the month. Also, there was no signal in the garage. So I just left and found another place to park (and was almost late for my appointment).

Also I don't like having to pay just to print my boarding pass at the check-in kiosk. Maybe I am not less brave but just more cheap.

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#76

Post by GTP »

testing22321 wrote: post #40
techsupporter wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... I'm old ... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think. I'm in my 50s and I don't know where this stance comes from. Sure, you physically can in the same sense that anywhere can be walked to if you're willing to walk long enough. But so many businesses and services have gone "mobile-first" or "mobile-only" to the point that if you're traveling for leisure you're do…

I don’t have a phone Sure it’s inconvenient sometimes, but on the whole I’d say my life is better than those I see glued to their phones. This belief is reinforced whenever people ask for my number (dentist, doctor, whatever) The gusto which they invariably reply “OMG I WISH I could get rid of my phone!”

So do you give to your doctor your landline's nuber, and this is why they're surprised, or you don't even have that?

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#78

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

seethishat wrote: post #4

Don't carry them with you. I'm old and I can tell you from experience... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think.

The last time I didn’t have a cell phone with me in my pocket was 1995.

But how in 2026 when I travel am I going to get directions? Get an Uber? I am in a Spanish speaking country right now and I speak some Spanish. But it really is convenient just to take my cell phone out and translate.

What is your next piece of wisdom? That I also don’t need a computer with 16GB RAM because my first computer had 128KB?

Oh and I also don’t need the web because back in my day Gopher and Usenet were good enough

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#79

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

testing22321 wrote: post #40
techsupporter wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... I'm old ... you can live life without holding a cellphone all the time. It's not as hard as you think. I'm in my 50s and I don't know where this stance comes from. Sure, you physically can in the same sense that anywhere can be walked to if you're willing to walk long enough. But so many businesses and services have gone "mobile-first" or "mobile-only" to the point that if you're traveling for leisure you're do…

I don’t have a phone Sure it’s inconvenient sometimes, but on the whole I’d say my life is better than those I see glued to their phones. This belief is reinforced whenever people ask for my number (dentist, doctor, whatever) The gusto which they invariably reply “OMG I WISH I could get rid of my phone!”

How often do you travel outside of the country or even outside of your state?

Re: How to Keep ICE Agents Out of Your Devices at Airports

#80

Post by charles_f »

It's an interesting state that you can force someone to unlock their phone with biometrics, but you can't force them to reveal a pin.

Anecdotally, I have been to the US a few times in the past year, and seen no change myself - where are you going and why? Thanks have a good trip. It was for short business trips, and I'm white with a number of documented entries/departures, so my experience might be very different from the next person though.

Post reply on HN