Fiona Bianchi
TottsGenuiune Question
What powers has aressting British police have in forcing you to unlock your phone these days?
Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK@Geri they need to get a RIPA notice to encourage you to provide the PIN (can't be just done at the street) and even then you don't *have* to provide it, but you are likely to get nicked on suspicion of whatever they *think* is on the device - which they will then seize and keep for several months causing you inconvenience unless you have a backup device, and might put through a Cellebrite device anyway to see what data they can get off it (all this depends on the whim of the individual officers and their superiors, as well as the perceived seriousness of the alleged offences)
https://jd-solicitors.co.uk/can-the-police-make-me-unlock-my-phone/
The Sleight Doctor 🃏🍉@ApostateEnglishman @Geri its always been the case the senior officer can get a RIPA notice (which has to be approved by a judge) - but both of these tend not to be around on evenings and weekends (they may be put on standby for protests) The senior officer can request you unlock the phone, but you could still refuse (although its more likely they will find some other reason to nick you)
Even carrying a "burner" phone can be risky particularly if its something like a "seniors GSM" which doesn't have smartphone features, as they are also widely used by drug dealers. (but if you are obviously clean living / straight edge (or indeed a senior yourself) its not going to be that easy for old bill to use that argument to nick you, they will try and think up some other reason)
@vfrmedia @ApostateEnglishman I am an upstanding member of the community - don't you know
I kinda figure I could pass it to someone xx
Ty for your clarification xx
Maggie Maybe@ApostateEnglishman @vfrmedia @Geri I know you aren’t talking about the US, but I found this link recently and there’s an “attending a protest” guide towards the bottom . . . you probably know this stuff but I am sharing it everywhere in case it helps anyone anywhere.
Surveillance Self-Defense
We’re the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a member-supported non-profit working to protect online privacy for over thirty-five years. This is Surveillance Self-Defense: our expert guide to protecting you and your friends from online spying. Read the BASICS to find out how online surveillance works. Dive into our TOOL GUIDES for instructions...
@Geri @maggiejk @ApostateEnglishman
The UK does use some equipment and tactics from USA (but also has its own and works alongside other EU countries (even post-Brexit) as mobile phones have slightly different technical protocols in Europe.
A lot of the time the UK Police aren't /that/ interested in the data/contacts on the phone unless you are considered a "prominent" (protest organiser/"black block" activist/drug dealer) but more in using the metadata from the network to prove someone was in a certain location - all mobile phone networks for last 40 years capture location data, not for surveillance reasons but to switch between cell sites as you move (the device wouldn't work without this, you would have to manually select radio channels!)
@maggiejk @vfrmedia @Geri Thanks! EFF are amazing and everyone should be following @evacide (their Director of Cybersecurity). She rarely interacts with followers but is an absolute goldmine of clear-headed and practical security and privacy advice.
I've bookmarked your link, thanks again for sharing. 🙏
a fading echo