If you use a different Android OS in your smartphone for privacy, then this news is for you. A person in America was arrested after data was erased during phone check at the airport. In this case, questions have been raised on the Android based operating system named Graphene OS. However, the company making this OS says that its use is completely legal. Let us understand the whole matter.
What is the whole matter?
According to the report of ‘The Guardian’, a person was returning from a trip abroad at America’s Atlanta airport. During investigation the officers asked him to unlock the phone. When he entered the passcode, the phone’s data was automatically deleted. Officials allege that he did this deliberately to destroy evidence, hence he was arrested. On the other hand, the person says that his phone had an Android based OS named GrapheneOS, which has a security feature of automatically erasing data if the wrong passcode is entered. Now it will be decided in the court whether this was a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence or a normal security feature of the OS.
What happened during airport check?
According to the report, Samuel Tunick arrived at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on January 24 after returning from the Dominican Republic. During the investigation, the officers asked him several times to unlock the phone and warned that if he did not do so, the phone would be confiscated. Later he entered the passcode, but the phone screen flashed a few times, restarted and the data on it was erased. Prosecutors say it was a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence, while Tunick’s lawyers claim the phone search itself was against his constitutional rights.
Why were questions raised on Graphene OS?
According to the report, Tunik had Graphene OS installed on his phone. It is a custom Android operating system made for Google Pixel devices. There is such a feature in it, in which the entire data of the phone can be automatically erased after entering the specified passcode. Investigative agencies have raised questions regarding this feature. It has also been said in the report that in some cases in the Catalonia region of Spain, Google Pixel phone users were considered with suspicion as users of Graphene OS.
What did the company say?
After this case, Graphene OS said that its operating system is completely legal and its purpose is only to protect users’ data from unauthorized access. The company says that its security features do not violate any law. He also told that strong encryption and security system has been provided in the device. Under default settings, if the phone is not unlocked for 18 hours, it reverts to safe mode. If the user wants, he can also set this time up to 10 minutes.
What are the opinions of cyber security experts?
According to the report, cyber security experts believe that such a legal matter has never come to light before. Cyber security and surveillance expert Christophe Boutry said that this is a matter of concern, because it could send a message that using Graphene OS is being considered a crime in itself. At the same time, Tunik’s lawyers are demanding the court to dismiss the case and remove the evidence related to the phone.
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