Or phones, the first thing customs does here is demand your phone and then start going through emails while you are waiting in front of them. If you have Mobiflauge installed this is no problem. Let them snoop the decoy all they want and then load up your hidden evil android install when you pass through
So what options do I have without rooting my phone?
Would it be worth stashing my phone in my underwear in my luggage in my trunk, then handing them a dumb old flip phone when they ask for my phone? They probably won't search all of my stuff and find the other phone, right?
I don't have anything on my phone that would get myself or others arrested, but I nevertheless want privacy. Would it be best to just give up on bringing a phone with access to any of my real data across the border?
This. The first time I traveled to USA I was super nervous about customs going through all my emails, not because I have anything to hide but I want privacy. From what I have seen/heard/read TSA is pretty much a minimum wage job and they arent the pinnacle of professionalism. It is only a matter of time before this kind of mass searching is used to blackmail and extort people.
Point of clarification: TSA is not involved in border searches, that's the realm of Customs and Border Patrol. CBP and TSA both fall under DHS but they are not the same agency and there are some very important differences. TSA aren't law enforcement for one.
