This decision shows that border agents can't just dive into your stuff without a warrant. They really are treating our devices like a peep show into our lives.
I’m with this ruling for sure. But honestly, I doubt this is gonna put an end to their shady searches. At least now you might have a shot to sue if they try to check your stuff without a warrant. And hey, if you do end up suing, why not invest in some more btc with the settlement?
Guess it comes down to how easily a local judge is going to issue a warrant.
If they have one who has an automatic approved rubber stamp machine so to speak it's just more paperwork.
On a side note, if you have any real amount of crypto in a hot wallet on phone or tablet or laptop that you are traveling with you're an idiot.
Yes there are some reasons to do so, but for the most part airgapped machine in a secure location & a hardware wallet.
-Dave
Recently the area where I live has made rules and laws regarding illegal online gambling, they have raided almost all hangouts, cafes, stalls and so on that use WiFi, almost all Android phones, laptops and electronic items were searched and they also brought a warrant, this is almost the same case as the OP told.
I think whatever legal decision the US Court makes is their right, because they are the ones who make the laws and regulate the laws for their people regarding Bitcoin ownership, I agree if they act on other people's electronics by placing warrants, otherwise don't touch any kind of electronic form.
In my country the police search phones of passengers without a warrant. And you could get hit, arrested or even shot and killed for protesting their illegal search. What I have since resorted to doing and I recommend for everyone all over the world who travel is to save everything to the cloud and do a master reset of phone before approaching the border (or outside my apartment in my case. )and deactivate security code so it is unlocked. And when you get to your destination, you can simply just log back into your Apple/Google account and reinstall everything from the cloud.
First they will detain you and then approach the local court to issue a warrant to search your electronic gadgets. The only beneficiary here are the powerful people. Commoners will have to face longer detaintion time for the warrant.
Nothing really changed. If the enforcement authorities want to harras you, they will do it at any cost. No exception there!
I'll tell you how it works in Russia.
In Russia, you need authorization from a judge or prosecutor to look at your phone, but--
You are a citizen and before your flight you are asked to unlock your phone at customs control. If you claim your rights, you will definitely miss your plane and you will be thoroughly checked along with your luggage.
If you are a citizen and arrive in the country, you will spend several hours or more at customs control if you refuse to unlock your phone. My buddy spent about 6 hours and missed his train. There was also a thorough inspection of all belongings.
If you are not a citizen, the problem is solved quickly. You will not be allowed into the country, and if you fly out, you may not be allowed into the country next time.
If you want to claim your rights, you need to have a law practice and be ready to buy new tickets
whether your hot wallet has alot of btc or just a small amount if they search your phone and find out you're using bitcoin, they still learned the same thing. they can still ask the same types of questions and such. so i would recommend deleting any crypto wallets from the phone before travelling so they won't even know you're involved in crypto. because why would you want them knowing you were involved in crypto?
how to hide your phone when you take it through the airport. anyone have any ideas?
I am fine with the ruling. I had seen in programs about border control that they did that and I was surprised. I know for a fact that is illegal at least in some European countries but I do not know if in all of them. Anyway something good had to have the European legislation, it can not be all bad.
Man, your cell phone has to be seen. If they see you without your cell phone (because you have hidden it) you will look suspicious. If I wanted to take a small part of Bitcoin to a country where they can search my cell phone at the border, what I would do would be to create a wallet on my cell phone and transfer the amount there, then uninstall it and take the seeds written on a piece of paper well hidden among all the luggage. If you get too paranoid you can take a book and write the seeds with invisible ink on page like 123. No way they will discover the seeds that way. Then when you get to the hotel you reinstall the wallet using the seeds.
This ruling has advantages and disadvantages. People have the right to privacy so they need freedom. But this law will be exploited by criminals to carry out their illegal activities. Waiting for a court order to access the devices of some of these criminals can delay investigations.
It will depend on the laws of your country. In some countries, the law gives law enforcement officers the right to invade the privacy of citizens in some circumstances. Some of these law enforcement agents are very good in technology so they can always go through your to dictate any hidden software. I see people who have their crypto wallets on their phones, and I find it very risky. What I usually do is that I have a device at home that I never use outside the home.
For people who are traveling, they shouldn't wait until they get to the border before they make plans on how to hide their assets. There should be adequate preparation on how to keep these assets secret because such a journey is unpredictable.
What country is that because that's crazy!
That's about the best solution I have heard of but for storing crypto wallets I am not sure storing them in the cloud is best practice even if it is temporary. Maybe one could write down their seed phrase in a book like someone else suggested but if the book gets confiscated for some reason you do have a problem. Unless you used invisible ink as was also suggested!
The simplest idea is to put your phone with the luggage that you hand over for loading on the plane, and go through customs control with a second phone, making it look like it's the main one.
maybe the simplest idea is just to try and hide your installed apps or at least the ones you don't want them seeing.
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i haven't tested it out. to see how well it really works.
I wouldn't recommend using this.
I have recently been through this procedure myself and customs officers check not only apps but also browsers and messengers. Also customs officers have special software that can access all the data in the phone memory.
I don't know how such checks take place in other countries, but in Russia we will not be asked to unlock the phone first. The customs officers will first take your passport from you and ask you to wait in a special area, and they will observe your behaviour.
More fun and positivity, customs officers have a lot of work to do and if you don't give in to provocations, they lose interest in you quickly.