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submitted 1 day ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/news@lemmy.world

Georgia State University has rescinded a job offer given to a high profile activist who is currently fighting a case in which he allegedly wiped a security-focused Android phone before Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could search it. The case, which 404 Media first covered and has now received widespread and national attention, has important ramifications for privacy and when someone can still be charged with an offense even if authorities don’t have suspicion of any specific crime.

Earlier this month, activist Samuel Tunick and a group of supporters delivered a “demand letter” to the university. That letter, which Tunick shared with 404 Media, says he explained to the university he was facing a pending charge, which he describes as “an instance of textbook political repression, and a high profile civil liberties case.”

While delivering the letter, supporters held signs saying, “GSU sides with Trump,” and “Digital Privacy Under Attack!”


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[-] DeepRoots@lemmy.world 46 points 1 day ago

Remember folks, have your wipe pin be close enough to audibly sound like your unlock pin, refuse to write it down. And freak out when it gets wiped.

[-] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago

I was thinking.

You could put the wipe pin on the back of your phone "because you often forget your pin".

If it's entered without your consent... Well it was without your consent 🤷‍♂️

[-] lando55@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 day ago

Would the LEO that wiped your phone go to jail for destroying evidence

[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

You do realize that you will be explaining this to a judge/jury after spending tons of money on lawyers or, more likely, they will Aaron Swartz you and you will take a plea deal to only serve some time in jail? Or do you think the TSA will just let you go?

[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 17 points 1 day ago

That's just another fantasy scenario which will in no way protect you from being charged. It may or may not save you from jail but you will still lose time, money and job offers.

The only way to do in a situation like this is to fully comply. So:

  • if you only have to protect your data store it in the cloud and simply uninstall cloud client before going through security

  • if you have to protect chats, contacts, browsing history etc. split your communications between two phones. Make sure the dummy phone is actually used (has apps, calls history, chat history, browsing history, pictures). Keep all sensitive communication on one phone and never take it through security

Unlock and show your phone. Let them scan it. Make sure it looks legit but has no sensitive info. All other games will get you in trouble.

[-] Tiral@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

I'm good, they can put me in jail and take over my $750,000/yr dialysis bill.

[-] ernest314@lemmy.zip 16 points 1 day ago

if what ICE does is any indication, they'll just put you in jail, not deal with any medical issues, and you die

[-] GalacticRobot@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

That's exactly it. Wiping 'evidence' in front of law enforcement means instant jail. In certain areas of the world it's far worse punishment. I have a feeling a lot of people here have never visited Russia, even in the most 'friendly' of times.

like they're not gonna just plant evidence

[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 22 points 1 day ago

ICE shot a guy in the middle of the street while being filmed from 5 different angles and no one was even charged. If they are targeting you specifically you're fucked and no amount of fake PINs and acting will save you. If they are not targeting you the best thing you can do is not to draw attention.

[-] jumperalex@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

What of instead you finger print erased it? Your pin is the real unlock. And it always asks for the fingprint first but you have to press elsewhere to switch to pin mode.

Also it takes three fingerprint attempts, which look like they fail, to read, and on the third one the wipe happens.

[-] femtek@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 day ago

There is talk about having the option for the dures pin lead to a separate image.

[-] Sanguine@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago

The current correct way to set up those profiles is to have a default one that looks lived in but contains nothing you wouldn't mind explaining.

Then you create a burner profile that you simply delete if the water is too hot. This is the profile you use 90% of the time.

This way your phone looks normal when seized because the default profile still has your stuff in it (banking apps, dating apps, a few games, whatever).

[-] femtek@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago

I just have a couple apps that can be deleted if I'm flying and then redownload when safe. This one included.

[-] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 2 points 1 day ago

I'm just going to use a flip phone that can hotspot.

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

I’m trying to decide which numbers sound alike. I guess you can get around that with alphabetical passcodes and just “mix up” an M and N

[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 3 points 16 hours ago

Easy, "I said 'two fives', as in '55', not 'two five'".

[-] Ribbons@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 day ago

Sixty/sixteen, ninety/ninteen perhaps.

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago
[-] IamSparticles@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago

"nine" and "five" could be easy to mix up.

this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2026
449 points (99.8% liked)

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