- A federal case in Atlanta involves the use of GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused mobile OS, which prosecutors claim was used to wipe evidence, raising legal questions about its features.
- The case targets Sam Tunick, who used GrapheneOS on a Google Pixel phone; experts say this is an unusual legal move that may criminalize the OS by default.
- The incident occurred at Atlanta airport in January 2024, where Tunick was questioned about suspected terrorism ties, denied a lawyer multiple times, and his phone was wiped after providing a passcode.
- Prosecutors view the wipe as intentional destruction of evidence, while the defense argues it violated constitutional rights and that the search was a pretext related to Cop City protests.
- The case highlights broader constitutional issues at US borders, with a ruling expected after October; GrapheneOS supporters emphasize its legitimate privacy protections.
- Similar profiling of GrapheneOS users in Spain and France shows authorities treating the OS as suspicious, linking it to criminal activity, but activists argue for the right to use privacy tools.