I’m traveling to the US mainland for the first time in my life in a few weeks.

I am not overly stressed about privacy, but I have read that US immigration can really overstep their boundaries. Are there any simple specific steps to take on my devices to protect my privace when going through US border control?

Remove my main accounts from my phone/tablet and use dummy accounts? Or just removing my biometrics?

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    Do not take your normal devices in case they are seized for random bullshit reasons. They can and will. They will often be returned to you destroyed and unusable.

    Take a device you buy just for this trip. Maybe ditch the tablet instead of buying one for the trip. Do not set up biometrics on it. Do not connect it to your usual services.

    Is it a gaurantee this kind of thing will happen? No.

    Does this thing happen often enough to foreign travellers to make it worth leaving your main devices behind? Yes.

    All that “freedom” is just for US citizens. They absolutely can and will fuck with any and all foreign people. Its stupid.

    ITT: A lot of folks with way too much trust in the USA being “reasonable.” I’m sorry, but when the TSA interrogates people with autism because they act different you’re not convincing me they know what the fuck they’re doing or won’t harass random fucking people. This “act normal” shit is so stupid say to anyone who is neurodivergent, which is enough for USA security forces to choose to fuck with you.