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A comment on US citizen charged after GrapheneOS phone wipes during airport search. Parent comment

Re:US citizen charged after GrapheneOS phone wipes during ai... by wat10000 on Monday August 03, 2026 @02:20PM (#49159544)
They have the power to confiscate my device for an indeterminate amount of time. They have the power to detain me briefly. I accept those as possible consequences of refusal.

If you're referring to the power to do illegal things, do you apply this everywhere? If a cop asks to enter my home, should I let them because they can illegally shoot me? If a beggar asks for money, should I give it to them because they might become violent?

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Re:US citizen charged after GrapheneOS phone wipes during ai... by MetroWind on Wednesday August 12, 2026 @12:33PM (#49275059)
They can legally do a lot more than that.

There is also a huge space between "obeying the laws and policies in the most conservative sense" (which is what you described) and being "illegal".

> do you apply this everywhere

In fact I do.

> should I let them because they can illegally shoot me

I'm not suggesting what you should do. That's up to you. I'm just saying the government can do a lot more than you think and get away with it, including "illegally" shooting you in circumstances. It's always a balance of risks. For me personally, If a normal cop ask to enter I'll refuse. But if it's ICE? That's suddenly a much harder choice.

Actually no I'll probably die either way. Who cares.

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