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

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/04/cops-can-force-suspect-to-unlock-phone-with-thumbprint-us-court-rules/

=T I don't mean to be depressing, but courts don't limit police power.

Police are an extension of the courts' power.

35 points · 9 comments · view on lemmy.world

9 Comments

Enkers@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 2y (5 replies)

This is why I have a button mapping to hard lock (aka system lock) my phone. I also, set it to hard lock every n days as well.

Ideally you hard lock all the time, but there's often a tradeoff between security and useability.

SaintWacko@midwest.social · 3 pts · 2y (1 reply)

I've always wished my phone had a setting where certain fingerprints would hard lock it instead of unlocking

deo@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 2y

My phone will require a passcode if my fingerprint doesn't register enough times in a row. Maybe you can get similar functionality to what you want by just only registering one of your thumbs or something? I can't find anyway to turn the number of allowed failures down, though..

CrayonRosary@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (2 replies)

On Android, you just have to hold down the power button for 1 second and tap Lockdown.

Enkers@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 2y (1 reply)

That's a decent alternative, but it's got two problems that make it a worse option:

First, it's hard to do without looking, like if it's in your pocket. Also, if someone is watching you, or trying to compel you to unlock your phone, they'll have a chance to stop you if they're paying attention.

Second, that doesn't actually work for me on my version of Android. xD

Epsilion@pawb.social · 1 pts · 2y

At least on samsung, its a setting you have to enable - "Show Lockdown option" under "Secure lock settings"

Once enabled, it shows up in the power off menu.

Somethingcheezie@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (1 reply)

He was a parolee. Don’t they have fewer rights in regards to searches

alphanerd4@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y

well yeah, but they didn't use that anywhere in their legal justification. they're claiming the authority to treat anyone in this way.

alphanerd4@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y

i once saw a squad of correctional officers break a mans jaw open because he refused a DNA test, and that was like 5 years ago, in case anyone was wondering why I treat court rulings like this as purely retroactive legalization of behavior that is already commonplace.