New from 404 Media: a man has been charged for allegedly wiping a Google Pixel phone before CBP could search it. Search was by a CBP Tactical Terrorism Response Team, which ACLU says "interrogate innocent travelers." Man is described as an activist online
https://www.404media.co/man-charged-for-wiping-phone-before-cbp-could-search-it/
@josephcox What an error to make. Why wipe a phone when you can simply power it off, or otherwise ensure that it requires a password to unlock? Modern phones are not so easily "searched" without consent, and that requires a judge.
@josephcox how can it be illegal to wipe your own phone?
@josephcox So he was given a judge-signed order to preserve evidence in an investigation with reasonable suspicion and probable cause beforehand, right?
No? Just retaliatory malicious prosecution with any available excuse? Okay, yeah, that seems like about where the fascists think they are in their weaponization of the cops against antifascism. Not quite at compulsory self-incrimination for all designated political enemies. Yet.
@josephcox why do I have a feeling that GrapheneOS is going to be the scapegoat again?
@josephcox Moral of the story is it's not safe to take a phone through a U.S. port of entry anymore.
The charged was an #Atlanta protester against "Cop City."
https://atlpresscollective.com/2025/12/05/samuel-tunick-atlanta-activist-arrest/
@josephcox I didn't know that was illegal. It was, after all, his phone, and he can legally do whatever he wants with it.
