Activist charged with felony after giving border agent "duress code" that wiped his phone

When Atlanta resident Samuel Tunick returned to the US from abroad, customs agents demanded access to his Pixel phone. The device ran GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused Android operating system. Rather than comply, Tunick activated the phone's duress code, a feature that securely erases all data. He now faces federal charges. According to Ars Technica, the first hearing occurred last week, with government attorneys describing the incident as a standard airport interrogation. But Tunick's legal team disputes that account. They claim he was targeted for his activism with Defend the Atlanta Forest, which opposed construction of a major law enforcement training facility in Atlanta. His lawyers further allege that Customs and Border Protection had placed him on a watch list and discussed via email plans to detain him for suspected terrorism activities.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton