[Andy Bounds in the Financial Times]

The last few months have radically changed the risk assessment for people traveling to the US from abroad - as well as Americans who plan to cross the US border.

In this case, it's European Commission staff:

"The European Commission is issuing burner phones and basic laptops to some US-bound staff to avoid the risk of espionage, a measure traditionally reserved for trips to China.

[...] They said the measures replicate those used on trips to Ukraine and China, where standard IT kit cannot be brought into the countries for fear of Russian or Chinese surveillance."

The worry is that, particularly at the border, US officials can demand access to devices in order to peruse information or back up their data. This isn't unique to the Commission, or a fully new phenomenon: the EFF has offered printable border search advice for a while now, and a federal appeals court strengthened the power of border officials to do this back during the Biden Administration.

But searches are on the rise under the new administration, as well as stories of people being inhumanely detained for minor infractions. Many countries now have travel advisories for people traveling to the US. The general feeling is that you can't be too careful no matter who you are — and for political officials, as well as journalists, activists, and anyone who might challenge the status quo, the risks are greater.

#Democracy

[Link]