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Should International Travelers Leave Their Phones At Home? (freecodecamp.com)
Long-time Slashdot reader Toe, The sums up what he learned from freeCodeCamp's Quincy Larson: "Before you travel internationally, wipe your phone or bring/rent/buy a clean one." Larson's article is titled "I'll never bring my phone on an international flight again. Neither should you."
All the security in the world can't save you if someone has physical possession of your phone or laptop, and can intimidate you into giving up your password... Companies like Elcomsoft make 'forensic software' that can suck down all your photos, contacts -- even passwords for your email and social media accounts -- in a matter of minutes.... If we do nothing to resist, pretty soon everyone will have to unlock their phone and hand it over to a customs agent while they're getting their passport swiped... And with this single new procedure, all the hard work that Apple and Google have invested in encrypting the data on your phone -- and fighting for your privacy in court -- will be a completely moot point.
The article warns Americans that their constitutional protections don't apply because "the U.S. border isn't technically the U.S.," calling it "a sort of legal no-man's-land. You have very few rights there." Larson points out this also affects Canadians, but argues that "You can't hand over a device that you don't have."
The article warns Americans that their constitutional protections don't apply because "the U.S. border isn't technically the U.S.," calling it "a sort of legal no-man's-land. You have very few rights there." Larson points out this also affects Canadians, but argues that "You can't hand over a device that you don't have."
reacting to these egregious violations of privacy by leaving your smartphone at home, or simply not having one, seems somehow inadequate. The fascists will simply keep pushing and pushing, gradually closing the net around you as they have ever since the passage of the (un)PATRIOT Act. In an actual free and open society, stealing, er excuse me "confiscating" someone's property and then demanding the victim give up their password would be illegal, and the very idea that the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution shouldn't apply just because you are near the national border would be laughable. But we're not a free country, are we? No, not for a long time now.
Since they don't have the password, you have to trust them a lot less.
Yes, and no.
The US military (which includes everything from SEAL Team 6 down to your local police officer it seems now) has a concept of "developed capacity is intent to use it." Yes, using this thought process means that since every woman has a vagina, then she has the intent to become a prostitute, which is absurd on it's face.
That's kind of the point here.
If TSA/ICE/some random cop on the beat has the capacity to slurp your phone, then obviously, while the intent might not be there, they certinaly could if they had the slightest reason do to so. Such actions as looking at them. Not looking at them. Appearing nervous. Appearing calm. Being dressed too well. Being dressed poorly. Being dressed differently. Not being dressed differently. Speeding. Not speeding. Going slower than the speed limit. Using a highway. Using back roads.
These are all excuses used in court to preform a "reasonable suspicion" search, including one officer in Georgia that used all of these excuses in a single month. (I'll add there wasn't a single conviction in the bunch, only complaints of rights violations where were dismissed.)
The point is that "over the top" applies not to just viewing with alarm the possibility of police abuse, it's been proven to happen. Frequently. Most often with absolutely no consequence to the officer, department, or state actor involved.
I forget where, but it's been said "If you don't give weight to your principals, then the first wind will carry them off." And I absolutely disagree that constitutional protections "don't apply" to the boarder. Yes, I'm aware that's how courts have ruled, but I am not saying it isn't treated like that, I'm saying it is a break with the honor of our laws to do so. Further, nothing in the constitution or the bill of rights denies civil rights other than voting or holding certain public offices to non-citizens, and it doesn't say "while in the territory of the US". These rights should apply in downtown USA the same as they apply where ever the United States holds defacto jurisprudence, even if it's not our country. In other words, no more "black sites" and "rendition" allowed.
We have been told over and over again that "They hate us for our freedoms", but I don't see that we have many freedoms we can be proud of any more, let alone ones others would envy. Indeed, I think we've done much more damage to ourselves with our "security" stance than the terrorists have done.
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
Simpler way: just don't visit the United States. :)
As a bonus, you will miss all the other airport humiliations: mass-fingerprinting, world's worst security theatre (you want my shoes off?), and risk of arbitrary refusal of entry without right of appeal or even explanation.
If you want a dose of American culture and natural beauty, just go to Canada instead. Niagara Falls looks better from that side anyway
Are there any other countries where this sort of thing goes on?
The best answer is always ECONOMIC. Stay away from the USA and travel elsewhere. If they notice a huge decline in tourism and the associated revenue they will be forced to rethink TRUMP and his policies.
Simpler way: just don't visit the United States.
Allow me to present to you a lout and vociferous BULLSHIT! Do you have dremams about killing 'Murricans, because we're so damn evil? Well here you go, and allow me to show the extent of your bullshit. http://www.it-can.ca/2013/02/0...
Seems like our friendly neighbors to the north, do indeed and in truth, confiscate peoples cell phones, and they do indeed search them, and they do indeed make uses of those search results, and their courts do indeed consider that as an acceptable practice. They even say that they do. Indeed.
One of the strangest things is that so many people have such a white hot seeting hatred of all things American, that they feel that in their just cause, and in the inherent superiority of all other nations, that they can spew hatred and lies about teh evilz 'Murricans doing what everyone does.
But hey, if you hate us that much for made up and non-factual reasons, feel free to stay away. You might learn that most of us are actually nice people - and that would mess with your preconceptions.
Yeesh, calm down will ya. Just be cause I don't want to visit your country due to the protracted, draconian and at times even humiliating process I'd have to subject myself to in order to get a Visa, that does not mean that I hate Americans. I just don't want some dull witted TSA drone rummaging around my laptop and my cell phone, rifling through my social media account and my private data, possibly even copying my personal data and storing it a DHS/NSA database, etc... The reason I'd rather go to Canada is that the Canadians might search my phone but are pretty unlikely to do so. The TSA/DHS on the other hand seems to be on track to making the act of poking it's nose into every nook and cranny of my personal life standard practice.
Yep. Sorry America, but until you stop acting like an abusive boyfriend, pawing through peoples personal texts, contacts and photos, you are on MY no-fly list.
It's a shame, because America is a beautiful place, and Americans are some of the friendliest people I've met, but your government really needs to grow a pair. Someone once said something profound about trading liberty for security; y'all should really look into that.
If you want to fight them the checkpoint is the wrong place since they have all the power and will win every time. They have you by the balls figuratively and sometimes literally. You have people that are supposed to represent your views in Washington and those people control the payroll for the TSA - they are the ones you should be talking to if you want to pick a fight with the TSA.
Same here. Would want to visit the USA. Should be fantastic. Both the country and people. There are many American scientists and artists that I hold in great esteem.
But as usual in any country, a minority of pedantic idiots try to screw things up. In my impression such wankers are more effective in the USA than in other true constitutional democracies. Coming up with pointless moronic rules (screen data at the airport that could be transferred in other more convenient, secure and untraceable ways), applying zero tolerance and feeling good about themselves for having done "a great job" at defending the country's best interests. And then there are their vassals who by the book and ooze stupidity out of their eyes.
To the majority of Americans that do have sense I'd say that it'd be good if that same majority would convey the idea that America surely wasn't built on FUD but more likely on risk taking, convention challenging, hard working and intellect.
I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)
Funny, I've always thought that "they hate us for our freedoms" was a joke, and understood as such by everyone. Are you telling me people seriously mean it when they say that? And that other people believe it? Because I always thought they hate you for destroying their countries and ruining their lives, and not so much about what you do when you are at home...