Is all this inconvenient? Absolutely. But it’s the only sane course of action when you consider the gravity of your data falling into the wrong hands.

I’ll admit:

While I’m not too “gung-ho” over privacy wonks and how obsessed people are with it (I already take my chances and know the risks) this seems like an escalation.

Okay, I’m all ears:

I’m a Communist Party member so how do I make sure this doesn’t happen? Any other ways?

  • Muad'DibberMEnglish
    15•1 year ago

    When travelling with your phone, you should definitely turn it off when going through customs, so that fingerprint or face unlocking won’t work. But you are under no obligation whatsoever to unlock your phone when they ask you to.

    Say no, ask to use their phone to call someone who can get you a lawyer or contact your embassy. The people I know who’ve done this, haven’t been detained for more than a few hours, never overnight. Any more than that, they risk legal and public repercussions, which is the last thing they want.

    Don’t give them what they want, and let them know you’ll be a pest throughout the entire process. The author’s advice of “just unlock your phone because they can technically detain you forever” is extremely misguided, and exactly what customs wants you to do.