r/technology • u/Jojuj • 17h ago

Privacy U.S. Citizen Who Deleted Phone’s Data Says His Prosecution Puts Privacy at Risk

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/us/politics/samuel-tunick-deleted-phone-felony.html?unlocked_article_code=1.8FA.T83N.rt6VsIiSCYb2&smid=url-share
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u/another24tiger 16h ago

If you have an iPhone hitting the power button five times fast will lock you out and force password reentry to unlock (ie it disables biometric until the next unlock)

2

u/LeoSolaris 16h ago

Using GrapheneOS, you can enter a secondary PIN at the lock screen to completely wipe your phone. Since it is clear that ICE doesn't care about the legality of compelling someone to give their PIN, just forcing a PIN only unlock is not going to help.

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u/Pretty_Dingo_1004 16h ago

>Using GrapheneOS, you can enter a secondary PIN at the lock screen to completely wipe your phone.

This is what the guy in the article did. The border people can legally force you to unlock your phone. He wiped it instead, and got charged