Fingerprint & Face ID Protection: The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits authorities from forcing you to disclose your phone PIN or password.
However, this measure can not provide fingerprint lock protection or Face ID. According to the news, this may change in the next time.
The history:
A warrant was filed in Oakland asking for the concession permissions for a raid and seizure of personal property. The warrant also included access to all mobile devices, even those locked with biometric data (Fingerprint and Face ID), immediately after seizure.
However, a U.S. District Court judge in Northern California ruled that the request was excessive, arguing that "it was not limited to one person or device."
In other words, the police were asking the court for a general license that would allow the suspects to unlock their devices.
Thomas Brewster of Forbes he describes why this court decision is important:
In the most important part of the judgment, Judge Westmore stated that the government δεν είχε το δικαίωμα, ακόμη και με ένταλμα, να αναγκάσει τους υπόπτους να ξεκλειδώσουν τις συσκευές τους με τα βιολογικά τους χαρακτηριστικά. Πριν, τα δικαστήρια είχαν αποφασίσει ότι τα βιομετρικά χαρακτηριστικά, σε αντίθεση με τους κωδικούς πρόσβασης, δεν προστατευόταν. Αυτό οφείλεται στο γεγονός ότι ένας ύποπτος θα πρέπει να μαρτυρήσει προφορικά και εθελοντικά έναν κωδικό πρόσβασης, κάτι που δεν συμβαίνει με τη βιομετρικά δεδομένα. Έτσι, ο code access was considered a protected certificate while body parts were not, and thus there was no Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
Sounds logical, since the passwords are protected by law, as are Fingerprint and Face ID biometric data used to lock a device/property.
Of course, we have to see if the US authorities accept the decision, and above all, if they respect it in everyday life.
As far as Greece is concerned, we do not know what is happening. The positive thing, however, is that at the moment there is the res judicata (if not later removed under the pressure of the secret services).
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