throwaway5u2o29

Re:Australian man says border force made him hand over phone passcode on Monday May 13, 2024 @08:38PM (#40350303)

This happened to me upon entering the US by air. I wasn't given a reason, it was declared a random check.

I was asked if my device contained any contraband, like illegal porn or beheading videos.

I had the option of handing over my passcode, or have my device confiscated and sent to a lab for cracking.

As a non-citizen, I complied. The device was searched for about an hour out of my sight. Meanwhile, I was quizzed by another border agent.

In hindsight, I realized that this gave access to my keychain and all my cloud documents. It feels very violating.

If anyone has suggestions how to prepare for this in advance, let me know.

All of this is completely legal under current law.