We live in interesting times. Friend of mine is a scientist in France. He just got briefing on what to do when traveling to the US. He was told to use an empty, freshly installed laptop with nothing but his presentation on it. Uninstall all messengers and social media. If he has to surrender any of his devices even for a minute, he shall get it checked by the French secret service for back-doors and Trojans.
I guess I rather stay home than going to a conference in the US.
#science #usa
@attilakinali
I think this has been the case for some time. Was advised similarly in 2017 for a conference attendance.
This is output from an AI query in respect of this topic...
"In 2008 Border Protection (CBP) began to assert its authority to search and seize electronic devices, including laptops, at the border. This was based on a 2008 policy statement that allowed for the search and seizure of electronic devices without probable cause or a warrant.
In 2009, the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a lawsuit challenging the CBP's policy, arguing that it violated the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
In 2017, the CBP issued a new directive that outlined its policy for searching and seizing electronic devices at the border. The directive stated that CBP officers could search electronic devices without a warrant or probable cause, but that they were required to follow certain procedures and guidelines."
@attilakinali @emeb yes β I will knew never to take a laptop or phone I cared about to China. I guess we have to do the same now with a budget android phone and a freshly built linux laptop (without my ssh/gog keys). Neither device must have the login details of any of my core accounts β otherwise possession of the device grants access to everything on google mail/docs.
Best to have a disposable account just for travel β android probably expects
@attilakinali why do you limit it?
At least I'll not travel to the paranoid states of America ...
@attilakinali
it somehow gives the impression that the one who told about the check by the French secret service might be slightly delusional.
I'd be slightly interested to know how many French scientists/researchers travel to the US every week, we can imagine the kind of workload that would be for the FSS to check every laptop once they come back.
@Serpico I can assure you, he is not delusional. I know him for over 10 years and we have closely worked together for most of this time. He is a laid back person and usually understates things rather than exagerating.
As for the number of scientists traveling to the US, I don't know. But if it's a couple hundred a year that need their devices checked, that is easily doable for an organisation like the French secret service.
En fait, cela fait des années que quand le service informatique de ta fac ou de ton entreprise est un peu compétent, il te donne ou te recommande du matériel « vierge » pour passer les frontières.
LβappΓ©tence des USA (mais pas quβeux, non plus) pour les secrets industriels des autres nβest hΓ©las pas une nouveautΓ© de Trump.
Don't forget that the immigration can also ask you for any social networks you are on, even if you don't have their apps installed.
The recommendations to travel "safely" to the US, in addition to onerous, make you highly suspect:
- Buy a burner phone
- Delete your social media accounts
- Create a fake media account that is bland or praiseworthy of fascism
- bring a blank laptop with only your presentation
- Etc.
Why would anyone risk detention and deportation to Bukele's outsourced concentration camps?
@mykl @Nickiquote Traveling to the US was always a gamble. Will the border patrol do a cavity search? Will they detain me?
But until recently, stuff like this happening was rare. There was a 99% chance you'd just pass through after being treated very rudely and in a dehumanizing way. Apparently it has gotten to the point were insults and threats are not enough anymore and the US regularly mistreats their visitors.
@attilakinali This is how French scientists should reply to USA customs asking them things .. ( you saw it coming ) π
@attilakinali - I would put a freshly installed new drive into the thing, use it for the conference, then on return swap it out for the original drive.
Or even more amusing...
Remove the HD entirely, boot from a thumbdrive you don't keep with the device :D
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