Returning travellers made to hand over phones and passcodes to Australian Border Force

[enaph]

Content source

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/18/returning-travellers-made-to-hand-over-phones-and-passcodes-to-australian-border-force

A man who was forced to hand over his phone and passcode to Australian Border Force after returning to Sydney from holiday has labelled the tactic “an absolute gross violation of privacy”, as tech advocates call for transparency and stronger privacy protections for people’s devices as they enter the country.

Software developer James and his partner returned from a 10-day holiday in Fiji earlier this month and were stopped by border force officials at Sydney airport. They were taken aside, and after emptying their suitcases, an official asked them to write their phone passcodes on a piece of paper, before taking their phones into another room.

It was half an hour before their phones were returned, and they were allowed to leave. James initially posted about his ordeal on Reddit.

Returning travellers made to hand over phones and passcodes to Australian Border Force

Sydney man says he doesn’t know what officials looked at on his phone or what happens to his data

www.theguardian.com

Spoiler

 

[Sorrento]

Last time I went to New Zealand we were warned we may have to unlock our phones, this was just pre-covid, there was a potential fine if we refused, I didn't have to but notices were there at the airports both Auckland & Wellington & as I remember Rarotonga?

NZ

 

[Freki123]

I can't find the source atm but I remember an article where they suggested something like: "If your forced to give away your phone and they went out of sight with it consider it compromised and buy a new one".

 

[Brahman]

I can't find the source atm but I remember an article where they suggested something like: "If your forced to give away your phone and they went out of sight with it consider it compromised and buy a new one".

If they want they don't need the physical confiscation to compromise a phone (remember Pegasus?). No escape from Five Eyes.

 

[enaph]

That's the reason, why I only take old Nokia "dumb phone" with me if I travel outside the EU.