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

arstechnica.com

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

#231

Post by loco5niner »

vegardx wrote: post #149
rypskar wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Norway we can click on smiley faces after security to say how the experience was, going from good to bad, there was an article in the news the other day about how they used the results from this survey for setting bonuses for the agents working in the different airports

I always find it funny when they place them outside of toilets. Like, who in their right mind would push them? Heck - some of them are even touch interfaces so you can't use your elbow.

I use a paper towel to touch them, just like with the door handles

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

#232

Post by axaxs »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #117
zachberger wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I went through the TSA checkpoint at the United Premier Access this last Tuesday. They have the new automated bin return system. Some of the people who travel less frequently were leaving the bins behind instead of putting them in the machine to be returned to the front. The TSA agent shouted at them repeatedly, "do any of you read English? Can't you read the damn sign?" While he pointed at the instructions.…

TSA is a jobs program for people who aren’t willing to do real work.

Harsh, but agreed. I have a relative who is older and retired. Got bored sitting around the house, so got a job with the TSA. He'd never held a job anything remotely to do with security, research, or investigation...

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

#233

Post by ed_balls »

philpem wrote: post #103
zachberger wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I went through the TSA checkpoint at the United Premier Access this last Tuesday. They have the new automated bin return system. Some of the people who travel less frequently were leaving the bins behind instead of putting them in the machine to be returned to the front. The TSA agent shouted at them repeatedly, "do any of you read English? Can't you read the damn sign?" While he pointed at the instructions.…

I had this at Gatwick last year... "Hey idiot, get your goddamn bags off the (expletive) belt! Hurry the hell up!" At which point another passenger decided to take advantage of the confusion and tried to steal my phone... "God (expletive) damn you! Are you trying to make my (expletive) life hard?! Just take your bags and go, you're holding up my line!" Approached the airport, "we do not comment on security matters".…

I think that the primary reason is psychology. People wanna feel safe. I was flying to Gatwick from Bilbao (EuroPython) and I walked into the plane like into a train. I was stunned. No one has checked my bag, no scanners. What is the point of all this fuss with security in UK if I could just pick another airport as a my entry point?

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

#234

Post by rhizome »

chillacy wrote: post #43
rhizome wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't use fingerprint or face unlock. Passcode/pattern only.

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.

There's no perfect security, and biolocks are absolutely useless for protecting phone access, especially in the US where they have zero 4th Amendment protection.

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

#235

Post by cronix »

philpem wrote: post #116
cronix wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back it up to the cloud and wipe it. Download backup on other side. Sure, officer, have at it .

"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?

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

#236

Post by dragonwriter »

jjeaff wrote: post #100
pmiller2 wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you overestimate the competence of TSA. Last I had read, TSA had never prevented a terrorist attack, and has an abysmal record in tests where people try to get things like guns and knives past them.

TSA is security theater. Nothing more.

No, it's a liability transfer from the airline industry and a subsidy to various contractors. Sure, security theater is the cover for all that, but it's not just security theater.

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

#237

Post by dragonwriter »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #117
zachberger wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I went through the TSA checkpoint at the United Premier Access this last Tuesday. They have the new automated bin return system. Some of the people who travel less frequently were leaving the bins behind instead of putting them in the machine to be returned to the front. The TSA agent shouted at them repeatedly, "do any of you read English? Can't you read the damn sign?" While he pointed at the instructions.…

TSA is a jobs program for people who aren’t willing to do real work.

> TSA is a jobs program for people who aren’t willing to do real work.

The overt function, employing in many cases the exact same people, existed before it was federalized, so, no, that doesn't really explain what was new about TSA vs the status quo ante.

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

#238

Post by trevyn »

SamReidHughes wrote: post #192
jki275 wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I've seen that as a TSA thing, on a domestic flight. It was on the first flight in the morning, so the airline wasn't trying to do a quick turnaround. It also only covered the people standing in line... so I sat there, waited for my boarding group to go, and followed behind them.

Wait, what? You were approached by a CBP officer while taking a domestic flight? Which airport?

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

#239

Post by SamReidHughes »

trevyn wrote: post #238
SamReidHughes wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen that as a TSA thing, on a domestic flight. It was on the first flight in the morning, so the airline wasn't trying to do a quick turnaround. It also only covered the people standing in line... so I sat there, waited for my boarding group to go, and followed behind them.

Wait, what? You were approached by a CBP officer while taking a domestic flight? Which airport?

That was a TSA thing -- they were TSA officers. Las Vegas. And I didn't get approached -- I wasn't lined up, as described.

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

#240

Post by [deleted] »

zachberger wrote: post #60
bruceb wrote: post #22

The problem with Customs and Border Protection is the attitude. They do have a challenging job. 99%+ of travelers are legit and doing nothing nefarious. They have to pick out the ones who are not legit/up to no good. I have no problem with them asking questions of myself or other travelers, even a lot of questions. The problem is the attitude and abusive nature of their conduct. I have had this experience a couple ti…

I agree. I went through the TSA checkpoint at the United Premier Access this last Tuesday. They have the new automated bin return system. Some of the people who travel less frequently were leaving the bins behind instead of putting them in the machine to be returned to the front. The TSA agent shouted at them repeatedly, "do any of you read English? Can't you read the damn sign?" While he pointed at the instructions.…

[deleted]
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