arstechnica ,
@arstechnica@mastodon.social avatar

Cops can force suspect to unlock phone with thumbprint, US court rules

Ruling: Thumbprint scan is like a "blood draw or fingerprint taken at booking."

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/04/cops-can-force-suspect-to-unlock-phone-with-thumbprint-us-court-rules/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

D1g1talDrag0n ,
@D1g1talDrag0n@techhub.social avatar

@arstechnica be sure to know how your phone OS works. On iOS you can press the “power” or “Siri” button 5 times rapidly and as long as you have a passcode it will be required. No thumbprint or Face ID will work.

Betterifyouneil Bot ,
@Betterifyouneil@mastodon.social avatar

@arstechnica

Time to go back to numeric/alphanumeric passwords.
🔑🔒

Convenience vs privacy

doctorLURK ,
@doctorLURK@mastodon.social avatar

@arstechnica man, that's a terrible ruling. So a key to a lock is only a key if it's not biometric, is what I'm reading. Biometric keys are actually just "sparkling personal IDs" now.

Glad I've never trusted biometrics, I guess.

Nagaram ,
@Nagaram@hachyderm.io avatar

@arstechnica Anyways, This is exactly why I don't use biometrics.

druid ,
@druid@ioc.exchange avatar

@arstechnica

Typically cops need a reason to book you. Do they need that to force you to open a phone or is this available to any hero on a power trip?

jef ,
@jef@mastodon.social avatar

@arstechnica Pretty sure this was already the case, and is why I never enable biometric unlocking. The quotes from the decision saying otherwise are a puzzle.

number6 ,
@number6@fosstodon.org avatar

@arstechnica

This is kind of click-baity, the way it obscures the facts.

This wasn't just some average Joe being forced to hand over his data.

You have to scroll down to the bottom to understand that the defendant had already surrendered his rights as part of his parole. He was required to "surrender any electronic device and provide a pass key or code, but not requiring him to provide a biometric identifier to unlock the device,"

bugroar ,
@bugroar@techhub.social avatar

@arstechnica Oops I accidentally used the wrong finger three times and now it's locked sorry.

JonnyJest ,
@JonnyJest@mastodon.social avatar

@arstechnica curious to see what happens when this is done to someone's work phone, govt phone, gets access to classified / restricted information, etc.

Also opens up the door to civil forfeiture of digital assets.. cops pull you over for a ticket, suddenly they've taken your shitcoins.

philip_cardella ,
@philip_cardella@historians.social avatar

@arstechnica and I've been mocked on here for refusing to use biometric unlocks.

petes_bread_eqn_xls ,
@petes_bread_eqn_xls@mastodo.neoliber.al avatar

@arstechnica remember, you can keep your iPhone set to unlock via TouchID or FaceID, and when you’re under duress, hold the power button and either volume button for 2 seconds. Then it will require a passcode to unlock.

JTS ,
@JTS@hachyderm.io avatar

@arstechnica

Just use a password/code/phrase as the only way to unlock your phone.

darryl_ramm ,
@darryl_ramm@hachyderm.io avatar

@arstechnica

And biting off your thumb only works if you swallow it....

anthropy ,
@anthropy@mastodon.derg.nz avatar

@arstechnica ah yes, classic case of https://xkcd.com/538/

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  • KellicTiger ,
    @KellicTiger@tiggi.es avatar

    @arstechnica Whoever the judge was who made that decision is a fucking moron. Neither a blood draw or a taken fingerprint unlocks access to private and confidential data.

    kevinrns ,
    @kevinrns@mstdn.social avatar

    @arstechnica

    That is horseshit. There is NO connection between warrentless search and a fingerprint.

    The court presumably did not rule on forcing people to provide a password. And THAT proves the "silly" point about fingerprints.

    If you live in one of these jurisdictions (I dont know which the court created this loophole for) DISABLE Finger print security and use a STILL LEGALLY PROTECTED password.

    dotproto ,
    @dotproto@toot.cafe avatar

    @arstechnica I thought this was already settled law. The gov't can't force you to give up knowledge, but they can force you to give up physical things (bank accounts, property, blood tests, etc.)

    RealGene ,
    @RealGene@mastodon.online avatar

    @arstechnica
    Ha. Good luck. I have a Pixel 7a and never got fingerprint recognition to work.

    jrod3737 ,
    @jrod3737@mstdn.social avatar

    @arstechnica
    Of only someone could have foreseen this inevitability. (Sarcasm)

    log ,
    @log@mastodon.sdf.org avatar

    @arstechnica
    Say it with me, kids: "A biometric is an identifier, never an authenticator."

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