Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm guessing they knew the text messages existed before they requested to see the phone.
No, they did not know it existed. I'm sure they suspected something (no idea why), but they just pulled over her entire family's car, and did a blanket search. She was on H1B, so she lost her job and had to fly back to Asia with nothing except the clothes she packed for a weekend road trip to Canada.
Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
51–60 of 224 posts
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you're actually contemplating suicide (and just making an insensitive joke), you should talk to someone bro.
Am not I already? The problem is not in suppressing impulses, but in finding a way to live a satisfactory life. Which is becoming harder and harder. Rationally, why continue living if you feel under water most of time?
I find it particularly hard to keep my head up with this sort of thing too.
What you're saying isn't untrue, but I haven't found a particular solution to any of it.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Despite this, Canada is still one of the best countries to live in, IMO. It's still safer and more free than virtually any other country in the world (including the USA). The only lack of freedom is the possibility of being shipped in handcuffs to the USA if you do something that is perfectly legal in Canada but illegal in the USA (mailing cannabis seeds or running an online gambling business for example). However ev…
The problem here is: most of people on HN are statistically improbable. Snowden is very improbable. We're not "the vast majority". We're a minority. I can no longer assess my own security in this world. What if the country I reside in decides to go after my kind of minority?
I think people like Snowden are a very small minority even on HN.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#54"Under the Customs Act, customs officers are allowed to inspect things that you have, that you're bringing into the country," - Here's my phone, sir. - I see it has a password, give me the password. - Mhhh... OK. It is 1234. - Oh, I see you have Dropbox app installed. I need the Dropbox password. - Mhhh... OK. It is 5678. - Oh I see you have a GPG encrypted file in Dropbox. I will need to decrypt that. Give me the pa…
Could you not backup your device, wipe it at the border, and then when they request the password simply say "There is no data on the device. Its as it comes from the factory" and hand it to them? You could then perform an over the air recovery once safely away from the border.
If you have an Android device and you automatically upload pictures, doing a factory reset before crossing a border will remove all your data. Then all you need is an empty/dummy Google account, in case you are asked to log-in.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#55It's actually a good thing they charged him, as now there is a case with standing to determine the legality of this practice. If he wins it creates a precedent if he loses a reason to dispense with the current leadership. Imagine if they tried to force all visitors to divulge their password in order to snoop on the phones. Goodbye vacation business.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#56As a European I have to say, that I associate these sort of things with totalitarian regimes and it is just unimaginable for me why the American society tolerates this while fighting for democracy elsewhere.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
The problem here is: most of people on HN are statistically improbable. Snowden is very improbable. We're not "the vast majority". We're a minority. I can no longer assess my own security in this world. What if the country I reside in decides to go after my kind of minority?
I think people like Snowden are a very small minority even on HN.
Anybody who uses bitcoin, tor or have encrypted disks can easily become a target.
Not meaning Canada specifically, but one twist in a law and you're nailed. You have no rights when it comes to digital.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#58Where's the line? If you give them your lock screen PIN can they then request your bank app password? The credentials for your work VPN?
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Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#59Border guards had me unlock my phone to check text messages and my emails in regards to a car I was trying to import, to see if I was lying about the value. I wasn't. It was horrible but refusing meant serious fines and perhaps jail time.
Just think, criminal master minds probably run amok unbeknownst to all of us simply because they delete their text messages and emails after committing their crimes.
Re: Canadian Charged for Not Unlocking Smartphone at Canadian Border
#60As a European I have to say, that I associate these sort of things with totalitarian regimes and it is just unimaginable for me why the American society tolerates this while fighting for democracy elsewhere.
just fyi, this was in Canada. just as bad :(