U.S. Prosecutes American for Allegedly Using 'Duress' Password to Wipe Phone During Border Search
The U.S. Justice Department is prosecuting Samuel Tunick, an American citizen, for allegedly using a 'duress' password to wipe his phone's contents during a border search. This case, reportedly the first of its kind in the U.S., involves a feature in GrapheneOS, a custom Android operating system, which allows a device owner to set a passcode that erases the device's data if entered instead of the regular unlock code. Tunick's attorneys argue that the seizure of his phone by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport was unlawful, as he was denied access to legal counsel and not informed of his rights. The government claims the phone was seized under suspicion of containing child exploitation imagery, but Tunick's defense suggests the investigation is linked to his involvement with the environmental movement Defend the Atlanta Forest. 
