Be careful what you say
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I'm married to a tech guy. He says you can't actually remove anything, or records of anything. Anything you post lives on. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Maybe in your situation, SK, traveling overseas, anyone who checks your phones or accounts would not see anything you have deleted. But FB will have the record.
I hate that we are living in fear of such things. Because there are so many people who potentially have so much to lose if they speak out, I am speaking out extra. Military troops risked their lives for the freedoms we have enjoyed. If I put myself in the line of fire by raising my voice, I will view it as my duty to my country--the country that was ours until Jan 20, 2025.
We need more voices. If you can, keep speaking up!
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
I'm married to a tech guy. He says you can't actually remove anything, or records of anything. Anything you post lives on.
Yes, I assume that’s the case. Although I did edit everything before deleting, i.e., I edited all the posts first, and saved them, so if you looked at them after editing, you wouldn’t see the original content. I did that in the hopes that the edited post would over-write the original. Then, after that, I deleted them and removed them from the trash. No idea how effective it actually is. But …
Maybe in your situation, SK, traveling overseas, anyone who checks your phones or accounts would not see anything you have deleted.
This was my aim, if I’m at immigration control at the airport and we get selected for a random search and they say “unlock your phone” or says that to my husband, those posts won’t show up.
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Is it even possible to travel without a smartphone any more? Can you carry flip phones instead?
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This NYT article is geared towards international visitors. But perhaps still of interest. I didn’t know this:
What rights do visitors have?
U.S. federal law gives government agents the right to search people’s property, including their phones and laptops, at border entry points. They do not need to be suspected of wrongdoing in order to be searched, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
All visitors have the right to remain silent. But the burden of proof rests with visa holders. For example, if an officer asks if someone plans to work on their tourist visa, and that person remains silent, the officer is likely to deny them entry, Mr. Joseph said.
If a person is found inadmissible during questioning, they can withdraw their intent to enter the country and may then be allowed to travel back to their home country. Their visa is canceled and they often get the next flight home. But an officer can deny the withdrawal, at which point the visitor is detained.
Because these confrontations occur technically outside the country, the rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution do not apply, Mr. Joseph said, and detainees are not necessarily entitled to a lawyer. The government has about 90 days to deport people. That period can be extended if detainees don’t cooperate by providing the correct travel documents, at which point they can be subject to criminal proceedings. Following an order of removal, people are barred from entering the U.S. for five years.. -
This NYT article is geared towards international visitors. But perhaps still of interest. I didn’t know this:
What rights do visitors have?
U.S. federal law gives government agents the right to search people’s property, including their phones and laptops, at border entry points. They do not need to be suspected of wrongdoing in order to be searched, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
All visitors have the right to remain silent. But the burden of proof rests with visa holders. For example, if an officer asks if someone plans to work on their tourist visa, and that person remains silent, the officer is likely to deny them entry, Mr. Joseph said.
If a person is found inadmissible during questioning, they can withdraw their intent to enter the country and may then be allowed to travel back to their home country. Their visa is canceled and they often get the next flight home. But an officer can deny the withdrawal, at which point the visitor is detained.
Because these confrontations occur technically outside the country, the rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution do not apply, Mr. Joseph said, and detainees are not necessarily entitled to a lawyer. The government has about 90 days to deport people. That period can be extended if detainees don’t cooperate by providing the correct travel documents, at which point they can be subject to criminal proceedings. Following an order of removal, people are barred from entering the U.S. for five years..@wtg said in Be careful what you say:
U.S. federal law gives government agents the right to search people’s property, including their phones and laptops, at border entry points. They do not need to be suspected of wrongdoing in order to be searched, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Yes, and the officers don’t need a warrant the way they would in the U.S. (e.g., on the t]streets, at your house etc.). As far as I know, this applies to anyone, not just non-citizen visitors.
If a person is found inadmissible during questioning, they can withdraw their intent to enter the country and may then be allowed to travel back to their home country. Their visa is canceled and they often get the next flight home. But an officer can deny the withdrawal, at which point the visitor is detained.
Yep, and this is a very scary option IMO.
Because these confrontations occur technically outside the country, the rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution do not apply, Mr. Joseph said, and detainees are not necessarily entitled to a lawyer.
This detail I did not know.
The government has about 90 days to deport people.
90 days is an awfully long time.
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@pique said in Be careful what you say:
Okay, but why do need a smartphone? Why won't old technology be sufficient?
Not really, you need a camera to access QR codes at immigration in Japan, you need access to the internet on your phone for various things, and I would need access to train info, GPS etc. to get around.
Oh also, you “can” fly without a smart phone, but it makes things much harder, since everything assumes you have a smartphone and that’s how your tickets are displayed etc. If you should experience flight disruptions, not having a smartphone would make it very difficult to change flights, do all of that stuff…
As for getting a new phone once in Japan, I think I would need access to my US phone for various things, like taking care of my house in the U.S., accessing my bank account, which can’t be done without two-factor, and my two-factor is tied to my cellphone number… I also need my cellphone number to access my university stuff as well bc everything is two-factor now…
I mean, I’m sure things could be done without a smartphone, but it would make everything enormously difficult.
Another thing that occurred to me is, just how suspicious I would look with burner devices. Like, what is this random lady trying to hide!
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I’m not doing anything that would get me in trouble, it’s just if I’m selected for a random search, I don’t want anything to look “anti-orange” and more to the point, if someone opens Facebook on my husband’s phone, I don’t want any political posts by me to show up. And now they won’t.
Beyond that, I think I just need to “prep” my phone before travel. Sign out of everything, clear cache/cookies from iPhone safari, remove apps for Facebook and Messenger… I can leave BlueSky there…
On my laptop, remove the Firefox browser completely bc that’s the main browser I use. Set up Edge as the main browser, which is fine, and the history will show that I access work-related pages…
I don’t know, this all ought to be sufficient… but it’s hard not to be afraid, with everything you hear in the news right now.
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@Rontuner yeah, I’m going to have to start learning about burner phones…. Because I feel like I really need to have access to my phone number while I’m away, but I think if you get a burner phone and then it has your regular phone number, it defeats the purpose right?
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
Man, SK, I'm sorry for the stress this must be causing you.
Thank you.
This is really tearing me up… Mr SK has made so many sacrifices over the years for me, to be here in the U.S. with me.
If we can’t safely travel back and forth to Japan, without fear of detainment…. Especially when neither us are doing anything wrong…
And the biggest problem I’m grappling with right now is timing, because now is the time to make airplane reservations for overseas summer travel. The longer you wait, the more expensive it gets, and seats start getting taken etc…. But I don’t have any clarity…. I don’t think anyone does.
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I don't know anything about burner phones but wondered...
If you use a sim card and swap it to another phone that only has what's needed for travel so the number stays the same, would that work?Only use the Brave browser in private mode (or other) to access everything you need or do on the web? It would mean signing in every time...? That is, don't use any apps except what's needed for travel?
I don't know.
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I'm deleting nothing. Fuck 'em and fuck him.
I'm giving an interview on CGTN IChinese media) Monday night on the administration's assault on the Department of Education.
I just don't care. I will not bend the knee, kiss the ass, or offer up prior obedience.
Crazy economist who likes to write about higher education.
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I'm deleting nothing. Fuck 'em and fuck him.
I'm giving an interview on CGTN IChinese media) Monday night on the administration's assault on the Department of Education.
I just don't care. I will not bend the knee, kiss the ass, or offer up prior obedience.
@Piano-Dad said in Be careful what you say:
I'm deleting nothing. Fuck 'em and fuck him.
That’s great for you, I just don’t have the courage to do the same. Because it’s not me I’m worried about.
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I don't know anything about burner phones but wondered...
If you use a sim card and swap it to another phone that only has what's needed for travel so the number stays the same, would that work?Only use the Brave browser in private mode (or other) to access everything you need or do on the web? It would mean signing in every time...? That is, don't use any apps except what's needed for travel?
I don't know.
@Rontuner said in Be careful what you say:
I don't know anything about burner phones but wondered...
If you use a sim card and swap it to another phone that only has what's needed for travel so the number stays the same, would that work?Two things to consider when it comes to moving SIM card from phone to phone in the context of international travel:
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Using an American SIM card (preserving the same American phone number) in a foreign country means paying international roaming charges. (Some cellphone plans are more economical than others when it comes to international roaming, you just have to do your research.)
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iPhone 14 and newer, a least those you can buy in the USA, just don't support the physical SIM anymore. There is not a discrete, physical SIM card that you can insert into or remove from the newer iPhones.
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I'm deleting nothing. Fuck 'em and fuck him.
I'm giving an interview on CGTN IChinese media) Monday night on the administration's assault on the Department of Education.
I just don't care. I will not bend the knee, kiss the ass, or offer up prior obedience.
@Piano-Dad said in Be careful what you say:
I just don't care. I will not bend the knee, kiss the ass, or offer up prior obedience.
Just speculating here, I have no idea if it will get to that point ... if the retribution won't be limited to you personally, but will also drag in your spouse, your children, your students -- what then?
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@Rontuner said in Be careful what you say:
I don't know anything about burner phones but wondered...
If you use a sim card and swap it to another phone that only has what's needed for travel so the number stays the same, would that work?Two things to consider when it comes to moving SIM card from phone to phone in the context of international travel:
-
Using an American SIM card (preserving the same American phone number) in a foreign country means paying international roaming charges. (Some cellphone plans are more economical than others when it comes to international roaming, you just have to do your research.)
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iPhone 14 and newer, a least those you can buy in the USA, just don't support the physical SIM anymore. There is not a discrete, physical SIM card that you can insert into or remove from the newer iPhones.
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@Rontuner yeah, I’m going to have to start learning about burner phones…. Because I feel like I really need to have access to my phone number while I’m away, but I think if you get a burner phone and then it has your regular phone number, it defeats the purpose right?
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
Man, SK, I'm sorry for the stress this must be causing you.
Thank you.
This is really tearing me up… Mr SK has made so many sacrifices over the years for me, to be here in the U.S. with me.
If we can’t safely travel back and forth to Japan, without fear of detainment…. Especially when neither us are doing anything wrong…
And the biggest problem I’m grappling with right now is timing, because now is the time to make airplane reservations for overseas summer travel. The longer you wait, the more expensive it gets, and seats start getting taken etc…. But I don’t have any clarity…. I don’t think anyone does.
@ShiroKuro said in Be careful what you say:
@Rontuner yeah, I’m going to have to start learning about burner phones…. Because I feel like I really need to have access to my phone number while I’m away, but I think if you get a burner phone and then it has your regular phone number, it defeats the purpose right?
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
Man, SK, I'm sorry for the stress this must be causing you.
Thank you.
This is really tearing me up… Mr SK has made so many sacrifices over the years for me, to be here in the U.S. with me.
If we can’t safely travel back and forth to Japan, without fear of detainment…. Especially when neither us are doing anything wrong…
And the biggest problem I’m grappling with right now is timing, because now is the time to make airplane reservations for overseas summer travel. The longer you wait, the more expensive it gets, and seats start getting taken etc…. But I don’t have any clarity…. I don’t think anyone does.
I was going to spend the winter overseas, got delayed because of a car accident, then Covid, then when things got super crazy here--including multiple plane accidents--I started stepping back from the idea. I'm sure it's not fair to Mr SK to not be able to go home for a while, but maybe you skip this plan for now... seems like it is that or go to Japan and stay there, which I know is not possible if you want to keep the new life you have built for yourselves. (And at least that means that if everything really does go totally to hell, you and Mr SK have an out.)
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@ShiroKuro said in Be careful what you say:
@Rontuner yeah, I’m going to have to start learning about burner phones…. Because I feel like I really need to have access to my phone number while I’m away, but I think if you get a burner phone and then it has your regular phone number, it defeats the purpose right?
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
Man, SK, I'm sorry for the stress this must be causing you.
Thank you.
This is really tearing me up… Mr SK has made so many sacrifices over the years for me, to be here in the U.S. with me.
If we can’t safely travel back and forth to Japan, without fear of detainment…. Especially when neither us are doing anything wrong…
And the biggest problem I’m grappling with right now is timing, because now is the time to make airplane reservations for overseas summer travel. The longer you wait, the more expensive it gets, and seats start getting taken etc…. But I don’t have any clarity…. I don’t think anyone does.
I was going to spend the winter overseas, got delayed because of a car accident, then Covid, then when things got super crazy here--including multiple plane accidents--I started stepping back from the idea. I'm sure it's not fair to Mr SK to not be able to go home for a while, but maybe you skip this plan for now... seems like it is that or go to Japan and stay there, which I know is not possible if you want to keep the new life you have built for yourselves. (And at least that means that if everything really does go totally to hell, you and Mr SK have an out.)
@pique said in Be careful what you say:
seems like it is that or go to Japan and stay there
The problem is that it is not clear that this is what would happen.
We could go to Japan, come back in two weeks and have zero issues getting back into the country. And that is as it should be, both of us have done nothing wrong, and he has legal permanent residence.
The real problem is that there's no assurance that things actually play out as they should.
