France’s research minister said a French scientist was denied entry to the US this month after immigration officers at an airport searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticism of the Trump administration.

  • bstix@feddit.dk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    edit-2
    2 hours ago

    I wonder how they search it. I doubt they manually read every fucking text message in all apps, so I guess they search for keywords or something.

    So, let’s say someone wanted to get someone in trouble, they could write them an email with some “incriminating” white text on white background and have them stopped by the thought police at the border.

    It would be funny if they stopped some Canadian Mexican returning from Cancun and found shittalk about Trump on his phone.

    Btw. Does anyone have Ted Cruz’s email address?

  • alkbch@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    27
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 hours ago

    Would be helpful if we could see those messages so we can form an opinion.

  • TheEighthDoctor@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    42
    ·
    6 hours ago

    I told my wife before I could never go to the US because of the stuff I write online, now I’m sure of it

    • kandoh@reddthat.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      3 hours ago

      These guys are handing their phones over to show work itinerary in their emails amd the immigration officers are then going through all their other emails and messages.

      Never, never, never, hand your unlocked phone over to an immigration officer. Print everything you need out before hand.

  • perestroika@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    40
    ·
    edit-2
    3 hours ago

    Travel advise: prepare for a trip to the US like you’d prepare for a trip to Russia or China. (Note: being an anarchist who thinks Putin, Xi and Trump don’t deserve a separate rope for each, I wouldn’t consider a visit.)

    Don’t bring your real computing device. Bring an empty device from which you can VPN to a system that actually has your data.

    If you need to bring an encrypted device, consider the possibility that authorities will attempt to coerce you into unlocking it (and will cause you great disruption and indignity if you won’t). You might be safer bringing a concealed + encrypted microSD card and a device loaded with an OS intended to be searched. If the data matters, make sure you cannot unlock your device under coercion.

    (Trivial method: send your friend in the US a snailmail letter. Ask them to keep the letter until your arrival. Into the letter, steganographically embed the OTP key material to obtain the passphrase to decrypt your device. Now to decrypt the device, three things will be needed: your cooperation and knowledge, the device, and the letter. And you can deny that the letter contains anything.)

    Edit: upgraded advise - mail your local contact an encrypted MicroSD card. Cross the border with a Raspberry Pi in factory packaging, or buy it locally (they’re still permitted, despite their widespread use by anarchists).

    • CCMan1701A@startrek.website
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      6 hours ago

      My entry to China was really easy. I’m very concerned about my return trip to the US. I have to come back at my home and family are there… doors anyone know if I’m denied entity if I can just book and flight and leave? Why do I need to have the government deport off in rolling to go on my own?

      • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        2 hours ago

        The cruelty is the point, so I imagine you would be detained and forcibly removed. They would make it as miserable for you as possible.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      6 hours ago

      I’m not quite sure I’d call that trivial, haha.

      There’s also the option of making a hidden partition or otherwise doing stenography within the device. I’m guessing for most travelers just pretty surface level hiding of things will be enough, though. TSA agents are not cybersecurity experts.

  • arafatknee@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    26
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    12 hours ago

    I have a burner but it seems like you need to create social media accounts filled with non political content and keep them updated so they don’t look fake. Anyone know how to automate this?

    • nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      cake
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      57
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      12 hours ago

      don’t do this. it’s a waste of your time. if you’re actually scared of the us government, the answer is to stop using social media

  • Aux@feddit.uk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    60
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    14 hours ago

    The US has turned in Russia for real. Russians were checking phones at the border when the war started.

  • despicable@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    123
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    21 hours ago

    Translation: if you’re going to the US you might have to immediately find a flight back because their government might go through your phone and find out that you rightfully criticised their great orange leader. Glad I managed to visit before, America can go and choke on their aspirations.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    323
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    1 day ago

    The Nazis literally did this with a law. They made it illegal to be critical of the party. Fuck the alarm, we’ve already been had.

    • misteloct@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      2 hours ago

      Please don’t say “Nazis”. Like, which Nazis, the 1940s German ones or 2025 American ones? It’s confusing. Please be clear next time you talk about them.

    • Hikuro-93@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      125
      ·
      edit-2
      23 hours ago

      Yup. “But we’re not there yet”, so they say. “Too soon to act rashly”.

      'First they started mass deportations, but it wasn’t a corrupt system yet, so we did not act.

      Then they started refusing people who were critical of them, but it wasn’t a corrupt system yet, so we did not act.

      Then they started blatantly taking money from the poor and give it to the rich, but it wasn’t a corrupt system yet, so we did not act.

      Finally they fully took over the nation, but by then all the people who would have acted were already gone and dealt with.’

      Not all, but the gist of it. Thankfully some bubbles of resistance are starting to form in the US, but the main people who were elected to uphold the law and fight this democraticly are already bribed or blackmailed, so it’s in great part up to the people, and whatever stance the army ends up taking when they are forced to choose between loyalty to the constitution, or an individual.

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        25
        ·
        16 hours ago

        the scientists were smart enough to flee Germany or places that nazis occupied. i see this going to happen with USa if not already, US already has a problem with shortages in some areas of stem. its a complex set of problems all around, this latest fiasco just adds into it.

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      25
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      16 hours ago

      Usually I respect the honesty more than the subterfuge.

      But when it’s Nazi’s. Nope. Wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire.

      • B-TR3E@feddit.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        5 hours ago

        One thing authoritarian systems have in common is a permanent atmosphere of fear. Honesty is highly unwanted there, integrity will get you straight into trouble. Fascist systems are built on hypocrisy and fear.

      • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.funami.tech
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        8 hours ago

        You respect the honesty because it reveals people’s character. And if a person thinks that Taylor Swift is an awful singer, then cool, you can agree or disagree.

        But when it’s honesty about contempt for your fellow man? A punch in the face is the only thing that works.