Molly Rose Freeman Cyr is a member of Amnesty International’s Security Lab. She says that not everyone has the same level of risk. Cyr says “a person’s social media account, messaging app, and chat content” should all play a role in their risk calculation and decisions regarding border crossings.
If you are comfortable refusing to be searched, disable biometrics CBP officers may use face or fingerprint scanners to access your device. Instead, only use a PIN. alphanumeric code (if available on your device). Keep your operating system on your device up-to-date. This will make it harder to crack using forensic tools.
Consider factors such as nationality. citizenshipYou can use your profession and geopolitical views to determine if you or anyone you are traveling with is at a higher risk for border scrutiny.
Before you travel, you should decide whether or not you will refuse a device check and whether or not you want to modify your devices.
There are a few simple steps that anyone can follow to keep their devices out of view and out of mind when crossing borders. You should always print out a copy of your passport. boarding pass You can also prepare any other documents on paper for CBP agents to review. Then, turn off your phone and put it in your bag.
Travelling with an alternative phone
Two ways are possible to ensure device privacy when crossing borders. One is to start with a clean slate, purchasing a phone for the purpose of traveling or wiping and repurposing your old phone—if it still receives software updates.
It doesn’t even need to be a real “burner phone” in the sense that the device will be carried around as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. So, there’s no need to pay cash for it or do anything else to make sure it cannot be linked to you. It’s important to create a clean version of your digital identity on the travel phone. This includes creating separate social media and communication accounts that are only used for travel. This way, if your device is searched, it won’t have the back catalog of data—old text messages, years of photos, forgotten apps, and access to many or all of your digital accounts—that exists on your primary phone and could reveal details of your political views, your associations, or your movements over time.
You can practice “data minimization” by starting with a new phone. Just put on it the information you need to take a trip, and nothing else. Create a travel-related email, alternate social media accounts and a separate account to communicate end-to-end using apps like WhatsApp or Signal. Ideal would be to separate your personal digital life from the travel life. It is possible to include some of the apps you use on a regular basis. However, you should only do this if you feel comfortable. You may think, for instance, that a link to your employer or community organization would be beneficial in a potentially dangerous situation.
