Buying a burner phone today so that ICE and US customs and border patrol can’t invade my clients’ privacy when I travel this summer. I can’t believe I’m saying that in the United States in 2025. - ThreadSky

democracymichelle.bsky.social • 6 days ago

Buying a burner phone today so that ICE and US customs and border patrol can’t invade my clients’ privacy when I travel this summer.

I can’t believe I’m saying that in the United States in 2025.

Comments

celebratememory.bsky.social•6 days ago

I can't believe that our national security director and director of national intelligence, with a combined budget of billions of dollars, did not buy a burner phone, and were just using signal on their office phones.

jgc123.bsky.social•6 days ago

It should be a tax write off though…..

martinnagle.bsky.social•5 days ago

It’s a sad state of affairs.

leaferi.bsky.social•5 days ago

Yeah. Guess need to too. Though working on financial situation and trying not spend unnecessarily. Ack.

thehatter.bsky.social•6 days ago

And dumping your phone and tablet memory before you come through customs just in case…

thehatter.bsky.social•6 days ago

Leastwise that is my plan.

thehatter.bsky.social•6 days ago

FWIW, I am in China right now on a business trip.

The factories have definitely not shut down, and the news coverage has a VERY different feel to it than does your average US outlet.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

It has a different feel when I go to Canada too. We get propaganda by the truckload here in the US.

hamishmom.bsky.social•1 day ago

I was going to ask why you are going there?! Then I realized you are inside the house. 😬

democracymichelle.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yeah. :(

hamishmom.bsky.social•1 day ago

Stay safe. ❤️

emmasmom.bsky.social•6 days ago

Traveling Asia in the fall and I am doing the same. I am not doing it because I’m going there but because I’m coming back.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yup. Sad isn’t it?

melodyleelacy.smokefleet.net•6 days ago

Waaaaaaaaaa! 😭

welladriansays.bsky.social•5 days ago

There have been stories of people with burner phones being refused entry as it was deemed suspicious. An alternative would be to keep your files in a third party cloud service such as Dropbox, then remove the app from your phone. You can then cross the border without those files and download them

welladriansays.bsky.social•5 days ago

Again on the other side. - they have free storage as well as paid plans.

margie1000.bsky.social•4 days ago

Unbearable this is happening because people believe in propaganda

margie1000.bsky.social•4 days ago

Thanks Michelle

loveblue28.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thinking of doing the same. America is no longer free to travel in.

bigbadbiker1960.bsky.social•6 days ago

Fubar

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

Snafu

shambollic.bsky.social•4 days ago

Good plan.
It's unfathomable to say, do, or even think about this precautionary measure, "in the United States in 2025"
SMH doesn't even begin to describe my emotion right now.

1myopic.bsky.social•6 days ago

I'm not sure I understand. Burner phones are always useful however, the FBI can fly a plane over your house and spoof your phone into communicating with them!

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

I’m sure they wouldn’t waste that amount of money on me when they could just read my skeets as I type them.

I don’t want some power tripping incel creeping through my contacts though.

1myopic.bsky.social•6 days ago

Ok, I found a link to an AP story about it. It's been going on for years!
https://www.apnews.com › article › 192109d8ed744277a0d8fd6e6a1728f2

1myopic.bsky.social•6 days ago

A burner phone should always be used if you're entering through US Customs!

usuallyannoyed.bsky.social•5 days ago

You’re right. It’s happening and we need to be prepared for them to continue to escalate

https://gizmodo.com/feds-reportedly-sent-a-predator-drone-to-spy-on-la-protesters-2000613964

1myopic.bsky.social•5 days ago

Protesters should use burner phones and/or power off their private phones!

thebirdman.bsky.social•6 days ago

Not sure how comfortable you feel surviving on T-Mobile's network, but Tello is a very affordable option. ✌️

nicollettecarre.bsky.social•6 days ago

Make sure it's dead and out of battery when you go through. I just went through customs 4 days ago and had my factory reset phone in hand but it had died while flying. The lady asked to see it with gloves on I handed it to her. She tried to turn it on and then saw it was dead and handed back

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

Nice! Thanks for the tip.

pinkmouse.bsky.social•5 days ago

It really is insanity but it the smartest thing to do.

brianleaver.bsky.social•6 days ago

They will be outlawing burner phones soon. I could see that happening.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

Then I just won’t bring a phone. They’ll have to issue me one and pay the bill if they want to see it.

revcailleach.bsky.social•6 days ago

Mint mobile. 15 bucks a month and a shitty phone. Burner to you, not to them.

revcailleach.bsky.social•6 days ago

You dont need a Jason Bourne burner phone, just one that has your friend and family numbers and not your clients.

kacee0308.bsky.social•6 days ago

The PIN number is required to gain entry into an iPhone after it has been powered off. I know- they will just push and push to get access. But is good to know.

sbeales.bsky.social•5 days ago

Except they can't get your password or pin without a search warrant, but can use your face or thumb to unlock without a warrant, which is why knowing your rights is important so the push and push doesn't work... and they move on to easier prey.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

I love that you used the word prey. I also loved the idea of letting the battery be dead at customs. 😄

arkbuja.bsky.social•6 days ago

I'm doing exactly the same thing

democracymichelle.bsky.social•6 days ago

It’s the only reasonable approach in unreasonable times.

arkbuja.bsky.social•6 days ago

I'm doing exactly the same thkng

gretch4all.bsky.social•5 days ago

How much does a burner phone cost, about? I have so many questions, recommendations to do burner phone research? I’ll use DuckDuckGo 👍 📱

emiliebush.bsky.social•5 days ago

baronandy.bsky.social•5 days ago

My other Half's cousin is inviting us to her home in the US next year. She is a Democrat and a lovely lady, but basically No will be my answer.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

95% of my family lives in Canada and are world travelers. They started US travel boycotts the first time Trump was in office and haven’t been back, so I just go there instead. I recently moved to a part of the country they’d love to visit, but they won’t set foot here until we regain our senses.

emiliebush.bsky.social•5 days ago

baronandy.bsky.social•5 days ago

Have no fear this person will not be setting foot in the USA whilst Trump is in power and then we'll see....Stay safe on Saturday

melaniej49.bsky.social•5 days ago

The government is tracking your travel now.

tkinnama.bsky.social•5 days ago

My family and I (all of us outspoken liberals) are traveling to France in August. In your opinion, should we get burner phones for our trip?

swizzler01.bsky.social•5 days ago

Seek asylum.

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

In my opinion, You should probably stay there.

tkinnama.bsky.social•5 days ago

Well, duh. The expat life costs money that I don’t have!

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

You only need family ties for some places. Others you just need to leave once every 3 months.

tkinnama.bsky.social•5 days ago

Thanks. My most recent immigrant ancestor was a great-grandmother from Germany 🇩🇪, but they require a grandparent.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

Got a friend who owns a business and a skill set?

There are tons of ways.

Mouth off at Trump a whole lot on Twitter and then seek political refugee status. 😄

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

Weird. The expat life that I am currently working towards cost a whole lot less money than living in the US does.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

Same with the ones we’re considering. We can both work remotely.

Some of my friends who already made some moves are living in villas on lower salaries than they were living in TX apartments for, and now they also have healthcare.

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

Yes, right now I'm paying $850 for a shitty room in a shitty house in a shitty town. In Belize, I can get a two-bedroom house on the beach for around 400. Food is cheaper. Beer is cheaper. Medications are cheaper. 1/2

tkinnama.bsky.social•5 days ago

Well maybe I’m going about it wrong. I have a job here (college professor, with tenure) that is hard to leave and not at all portable. Maybe when I retire? I hope you reach your goal!

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

Yeah, it does seem like what one does for a living does work into the equation somehow. 😂

margiem.bsky.social•5 days ago

They want us dead, starving, sick, jailed, off the street in work camps. Anywhere they can’t see us. Find a protest get loud.

Call your reps Everyday and Republican leaders
202-224-3121. Don’t give them peace

Tell them to remove Trump by impeachment or treason charges

Need help use 5calls.org

twofeather.bsky.social•6 days ago

USA 2025 starter kit: Burner phone, full face gas mask, sturdy helmet, pepper spray

kimstuart1234.bsky.social•5 days ago

Sounds like a smart idea to me.

thesecrethotelier.bsky.social•6 days ago

My company used to use burner phones and laptops for trips to Russia because of spyware and malware. This is where we are now. Revolting.

donniedonner.bsky.social•5 days ago

Making plans to leave the United States within the next 3 months because I am autistic and have no plans on spending the rest of my life in a re-education camp. I can't believe I'm saying that in the United States in 2025.

democracymichelle.bsky.social•5 days ago

We’re scouting out places we may want to live as well. If the country doesn’t care enough about being under a dictatorship and going through a depression to get 3.5% of the population to rise up and be heard, we’re out as well. We’ll fight with fighters, but we won’t live in misery for the apathetic

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