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.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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    1 month 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.

    • Hikuro-93@lemmy.ca
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      1 month 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
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        1 month 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.

    • misteloct@lemmy.world
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      1 month 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.

  • athairmor@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    How’d they get into his phone? Face or fingerprint?

    Make sure you turn off biometrics before traveling. They can’t force you to disclose a passcode.

    EDIT: Actually, if you have to travel to the USA, wipe your phone before you leave.

    • Technoworcester@lemm.eeOP
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      1 month ago

      They can still make your life difficult though. I think the better option is don’t fly into or through US territory if you can help it.

    • philpo@feddit.org
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      1 month ago

      They will also ask you for your password for online accounts and refuse entry if you don’t. And as we have all seen recently that does not necessarily mean “next flight home”.

    • Sabin10@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      If you have an android device, setup a second user account with nothing on it and use that when going through customs.

      • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 month ago

        I mean, you might fool them. But its best to just backup everything to a Non-US cloud provider in an encrypted format, and wipe the device before leaving. I wouldn’t rely on the “multi-user” trick. Who knows what forensics tools they have.

    • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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      1 month ago

      How’d they get into his phone? Face or fingerprint?

      I was looking for this as well. It seems like a rather important piece of info for the article to leave out.

      • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 month ago

        Here’s how the borders work:

        “Sir/Ma’am, please unlock your device”

        “No”

        “Entry Denied”


        (Except for US Citizens, they cannot be denied entry* even if they refuse to unlock their device, however, their devices could be confiscated

        *for now)

    • Branch_Ranch@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      So, what if I as an american, travel to canada. On my re-entry, am i going to get my phone searched for anti-maga stuff?

      • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 month ago

        The US Government cannot deny US Citizens from entering the US.* However, they can (and mostly likely will) seize all your belongings and detain you for up to 48 hours. So its best to wipe your devices before crossing the border (both ways). They can deny permanent residents (aka: green card holders) from entry.

        *for now

        But my real advice is: Unless you are intending to migrate permanently, do not cross the US borders (neither in nor out) under the current administration.

      • athairmor@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        They could try. They can compel you to open it with Face ID or fingerprint. If that’s turned off they cannot compel you to disclose your passcode. They can seize your phone. They cannot prevent you from entering the country.

        They’re probably only going to do it with some kind of suspicion. But that suspicion could be the border protection officer is having a bad day.

  • Aux@feddit.uk
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    1 month ago

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

  • perestroika@lemm.ee
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    1 month 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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      1 month 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.

  • Hikuro-93@lemmy.ca
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    Hey, that’s a good thing in my book, I guess.

    Same way as America prospered with talent fleeing a corrupt Europe in the past, now Europe can get that lost talent back from a corrupt America. The more they feel unwelcome and undervalued the more they will flock or stay wherever their talent can flourish and advance our progress as a society.

    No complaints from me on that. 🤷‍♂️

    • acchariya@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Once the funding dries up the talent will be forced to leave. The question is, is Europe prepared to take advantage? I’m not so sure- the worst outcome would be talent just being squandered and the world ending up with a lost decade.

  • ChanchoManco@lemm.ee
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    30 days ago

    All countries should advise their citizens against travelling to the USA. Edit: fixed typo.

  • alkbch@lemmy.ml
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    1 month ago

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

  • arafatknee@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 month 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?