Border privacy clash: US charges man over duress password that wiped his phone
US prosecutors have charged Sam Tunick with destroying or damaging property to prevent a border seizure, alleging he used GrapheneOS’s “duress password” to wipe his phone at Atlanta’s airport in January 2025. Tunick’s lawyers argue the detention was unlawful and that agents lacked a warrant or rights advisement, while the government says a warrant wasn’t required for entry. The case highlights tensions between digital privacy and law enforcement at U.S. borders and questions about evidence admissibility in border searches.