GrapheneOS duress PIN could land a man in prison
5 hours ago
- A US man is being prosecuted for using a GrapheneOS duress PIN that wiped his Pixel phone during a border search at Atlanta airport.
- The charge treats the alleged wipe as destruction of property intended to prevent a government seizure, under a federal law.
- The incident occurred in January 2025 when border agents demanded access to the phone without a warrant, and the duress PIN triggered an irreversible wipe.
- The defendant's legal team argues he was questioned without Miranda rights, denied a lawyer, and that the search was unreasonable, with claims of pretextual questioning about child sexual abuse material and ties to the Cop City protest movement.
- A judge is not expected to rule on the motion until at least October, leaving the legal implications of privacy tools like the duress PIN under scrutiny.