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.

  • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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    4 hours ago

    Welcome to Trumps America.

    Where everything that Trump doesnt like, or is legitimately critical of him, or is just an opinion that Republicans don’t like… is Terrorism.

    Seems an awful lot like that oppressive government tyranny the ammosexuals were feverishly polishing their rifle barrels to, doesnt it? I wonder why they are all so suspiciously silent! /s

  • techclothes@lemmy.world
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    16 hours ago

    Fucking hell. Freedom of speech isn’t a thing anymore and all those shitheads who were crying about simply being called out for saying things are fine with the government punishing people for saying things.

  • asg101@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    16 hours ago

    I seriously doubt the intelligence of anyone still traveling to the USA. I hope whatever project he is working on is not critical.

    • Tryenjer@lemmy.world
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      9 hours ago

      These types of things are usually scheduled well in advance. Just one example, it is worth noting that I am not saying that this was the reason the scientist traveled to the United States, scientific centers with certain types of very expensive equipment usually rent it to projects from other scientific institutes and universities, sometimes with such high demand that you can wait years for it to be available for your project.

    • daepicgamerbro69@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      these travels are scheduled months even years in advance depending on the field of study, nobody could have predicted how much worse second Trumps term would be. also other than travelling to somewhere where its bad much more reliable indicator of low intelligence are very confident statements outside of one’s own depth.

  • bstix@feddit.dk
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    23 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?

    • kandoh@reddthat.com
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      23 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.

  • alkbch@lemmy.ml
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    1 day ago

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

  • perestroika@lemm.ee
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    1 day 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).

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      That’s not only US either, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, China - all can coerce you into unlocking your devices and detain you if you refuse which is fucking crazy.

      Never ever give them this right even if you trust the government as they’ll make a redundant copy and government data security is such a joke you’ll be 100% pwnd.

      Make sure your laptop is encrypted and disable face unlock on your phone. They can detain you for 24h in most places (6h in US) and will tell you to buy a return ticket. Do not take the risk even if you have nothing to hide.

      As a security expert - these laws are 100% authoritarian abuse. As if terrorists can’t host their encrypted terrorist files offsite and pull them from public wifi when they enter the country. It’s an absolutely joke.

    • CCMan1701A@startrek.website
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      1 day 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?

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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      1 day 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.

  • Aux@feddit.uk
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    1 day ago

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