Maintain digital privacy at the U.S. border

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Protect your privacy when going through customs and border checkpoints.

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This month, I’ve been writing about digital privacy at the US border. The Trump Administration has expanded the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) program scrutinizing U.S. visitors’ online activities, cellphones, tablets and laptop computers as they enter the U.S. Plus, the administration has extended the same to U.S. citizens returning home from international travel.
The Trump Administration has doubled down on the original voluntary program, even going so far as handcuffing and holding U.S. citizens at the border until they turn over their cell phones, unlocked, for unlimited scanning by U.S. government agents.
Many may mistakenly believe the new requirements are a great idea to help protect the U.S. from terror attacks, but these searches and scans are particularly intrusive and done without any “reasonable suspicion” that a visitor or U.S. citizen is a terrorist or criminal.
Bruce Schneier, an American security expert, has described the situation well, saying, “Too many wrongly characterize this debate as ‘security versus privacy.’ The real choice is liberty versus control.”
The fact is that most everyone has information in their cell phones and computers they want to keep private, as well as posts on social media. Business people have confidential information and trade secrets to protect. Once in the hands of the government, no one knows what will happen to that information and how it will be used or stored.
To date, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that at the U.S’ international border and its functional equivalent (international airports), the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections don’t apply. While there is considerable controversy with the court’s decision that a laptop, and by extension, a cell phone, is no different than any other containers such as luggage or briefcases, it is the law of the land at the moment.
Visiting some countries of the world has been a test of preparation, resolve and some paranoia for a long time. Now it looks as though the U.S. joins the list along with Russia and China, where intrusions into the private lives of its citizens and its visitors is commonplace and aggressive.
My specific suggestions for travelers to guard their privacy are below, but I caution that there is no panacea, no sure cure for U.S. governmental intrusion at the border, for Americans returning home, or ordinary visitors traveling to the U.S. to enjoy its sites, natural wonders, culture and good people.

Delete it:
If you don’t need the information during your journey, delete it from your laptop and cellphone and other portable electronic devices before you leave home. For information used while on your journey, but no longer needed, delete it, too.
Use cloud backup storage:
For information needed on your journey and data collected while traveling, back it up to the cloud, then delete it from your portable electronic devices.
Social media information and apps:
Delete all social media information and apps from your devices before returning home to the U.S. or visiting the U.S. Typically, they can be restored later, as their information is online.
Hard drive encryption:
Encrypt your hard drive with tools like BitLocker, TrueCrypt, or Apple’s Filevault, and choose a strong passphrase. Don’t forget to turn off your computer to ensure you have full encryption protection.
Lock down your cell phone and tablet:
Set a strong passphrase and before you get to the border, delete fingerprint access so CBP can’t compel you to use a finger to unlock your cellphone. Turn off your cell phone before getting to the border so your passphrase must be used to unlock it. Disable your digital assistant, such as Siri, from your lockscreen so it can’t be used to unlock your cellphone.
Cellphone and tablet factory settings:
If you return your cellphone and tablet to factory settings before arriving at the U.S. border there will be nothing on them to view. You can restore the devices later from backup.
Data storage and retrieval from the cloud:
If you need to maintain data privacy while away from home, store your private data on the cloud and use it as needed through an encrypted connection to it.
My last two suggestions are my main defenses against unwanted and unwarranted intrusions into my digital privacy. They work while on my journeys and when returning home.
Remotely connect with VPN:
Keep your laptop computer clean of all data, including emails. Use it to run your home and office computer remotely through an encrypted VPN connection. Systems such as GoToMyPC facilitate secure remote computer use. With no data on your laptop, there is nothing for CBP to view or copy. Don’t save your passwords on the laptop either.
Use a travel cell phone:
Leave your regular cell phone at home while traveling internationally. Use a “travel cell phone” with only essential contacts, apps and data you’ve got to have while traveling. Before entering the U.S., remove all contacts and personal data so there’s nothing for CBP to view or copy.
These steps can keep your information private, but beware, U.S. citizens may be uncomfortably detained at the border and visitors may be denied entry to the U.S. if they don’t fully cooperate with U.S. CBP. There are no guarantees about what CBP will do. Moreover, CBP may confiscate visitors’ and citizens’ electronic devices for further examination.