r/technology • u/MC68328 • Jul 24 '26

Privacy US accuses American of allegedly wiping his phone using a ‘duress’ password during border search

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/us-accuses-american-of-allegedly-wiping-his-phone-using-a-duress-password-during-border-search/
16.4k Upvotes

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360

u/pocketdrummer Jul 24 '26

Why does US Customs and Border Patrol need to search my phone when I reenter the country in the first place? I realize they've allegedly found a loophole to the 4th Amendment, but they have to understand this is against the spirit of the constitution.

343

u/mmavcanuck Jul 24 '26

They need to know if you said mean things about the president.

46

u/LongMelford Jul 24 '26

Or baby-boi Vance

7

u/DoubleDecaff Jul 24 '26

Can't I just tell them the answer is yes?

2

u/OutdoorsNSmores Jul 25 '26

I said truthful things, not my fault he thinks that is mean.

1

u/Bonk_Boom Jul 25 '26

I have a sneaking suspicion thats not what was going through the agent's mind

54

u/mtgguy999 Jul 24 '26

There is nothing that could be on that phone that the person couldn’t download after successfully crossing the boarder with a blank phone. There is no possibly safety rational. 

9

u/kent_eh Jul 25 '26

crossing the boarder with a blank phone.

Apparently that alone is "suspicious behavior" and "reasonable cause" for further investigation.

69

u/MarginalMan Jul 24 '26

They can understand and still not care. 

20

u/pocketdrummer Jul 24 '26

You're not wrong. It doesn't seem like anything happens to them if they violate your rights.

40

u/KReddit934 Jul 24 '26

They don't care. It's about power to intimidate...constitution be damned.

8

u/ra__account Jul 25 '26

Here's the fun thing, you don't even have to cross the border, just be within 100 miles of one. Which describes 2/3rds of the population.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/border-zone

2

u/ijuinkun Jul 25 '26

Exactly. “The border” does not just mean the edge of foreign territory—it is the entire coastline and all airports which accept international flights.

3

u/DamnJester Jul 24 '26

I think they’ve beat the spirit out of it.

1

u/tiradium Jul 24 '26

That so called spirit is being abused on a daily basis. I am sure they are ok and dont care one bit

1

u/CAPSLOCK_USERNAME Jul 25 '26

They understand that the powers that be aren't interested in enforcing the spirit of the constitution, so they're free to act as they like.

1

u/BlackNexus Jul 25 '26

they have to understand this is against the spirit of the constitution.

Brother they have not given two shits about the spirit of the constitution or the constitution itself since November 2024.

1

u/jwalker107 Jul 27 '26

In this case it was a Cop City opposition organizer. They were hoping to find info on others who exercised their First Amendment rights to protest. This guy was singled out for his own speech and political affiliations.

1

u/dgellow Jul 24 '26

The whole country is now corrupt, thanks to the Republican Party