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Is it illegal to trick the US government into wiping your phone during a questionably legal search?
·1 min read
Key Takeaway
A Georgia man was charged with a felony for allegedly wiping his phone while being questioned by Customs and Border Protection. Samuel Tunick had something in common with others who have had their devices searched at airports: He was an activist.
Published July 28, 2026 · Category: Tech
Overview
A Georgia man was charged with a felony for allegedly wiping his phone while being questioned by Customs and Border Protection. Samuel Tunick had something in common with others who have had their devices searched at airports: He was an activist.
Unlike others who have had their phones seized with no explanation, Tunick was told that CBP needed to search his device to determine whether it contained child sexual abuse material, according to court filings. But Tunick's attorneys argue that the search "was a pretext for a fishing expedition" into his connections with the Stop Cop City protests in Atlanta, in which dozens of people were charged …
What is "Is it illegal to trick the US government into wiping your phone during a questionably legal search?" about?+
A Georgia man was charged with a felony for allegedly wiping his phone while being questioned by Customs and Border Protection. Samuel Tunick had something in common with others who have had their devices searched at airports: He was an activist. Unlike others who have had their phones seized with no explanation, Tunick was told […]
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EssentialRequired for the site to function. Always active.
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