Link: Don’t ever hand your phone to the cops

You should never voluntarily hand your phone to a police officer. With more states including California adding digital IDs to mobile wallets, it may seem convenient to use these during interactions such as traffic stops.

However, digital IDs like those in California are limited in use to places like TSA checkpoints and not meant for police stops. States like Colorado and Louisiana have digital IDs for broader use, raising concerns about privacy and police access.

Giving your phone to an officer can lead to unintended consent to search your data, as explained by Brett Max Kaufman of the ACLU. Legal boundaries of such consent can often be misinterpreted, leading to comprehensive and invasive searches.

The law, specifically Riley v. California, states that officers need a warrant to search your phone, unless you provide consent. Yet, if faced with a warrant, courts are divided on whether police can force you to unlock your phone using biometrics, differing from passcodes protected under the Fifth Amendment.

Even if you believe your phone has nothing incriminating, police might find unexpected data. Jay Stanley from the ACLU warns that any data could potentially be used against you by authorities.

If a police officer requests your ID, it's safer to present a physical card rather than unlocking your phone. This prevents any unauthorized access to your private information and avoids legal complexities. #

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Yoooo, this is a quick note on a link that made me go, WTF? Find all past links here.