Yes, I know, I watched that around when it was first posted. But how effective is a court-appointed lawyer going to be, controlled for various types of legal ha

Yes, I know, I watched that around when it was first posted. But how effective is a court-appointed lawyer going to be, controlled for various types of legal hassle, controlled for (in the case of an accusation) actual guilt and innocence? In a case of refusing to disclose a password (or even admit the existence of a password, saying literally nothing), are you going to trust the court appointed lawyer or (if you could procure them) someone at the EFF to better represent you? All lawyers have to meet certain obligations but that doesn't mean they're all equal. Given that most people talk too much to the police most of the time without dire consequences (police have a lot of flexibility in what they can do with your volunteered information, it's a two-edged sword) a more careful cost-benefit analysis of saying nothing or saying certain things is irresistible to smart tech people. If you're going to take the principled 'never talk under any circumstances' approach you need to have thought of various situations so you can make that principle work the most for you and not let it become an unnecessary cost.