4 ms·

I wonder if the US is the only place where this applies? The UK, I believe, can compel you to provide passwords that you would be reasonably expected to know.

FerretFred 6mo ago
Sadly yes. IANAL but under the Ripa Act they can issue a section 49 notice and you risk imprisonment for not complying. However, they need proper authorisation to do so, and the notice must be lawfully issued, so presumably a magistrate. This is all part of our famous British Justice!
- threiw 6mo ago
  There are several exceptions. Like border crossing or when hate crime is investigated. Arguing about legality, while interacting with police, is always losing move. Just carry burner devices, and store sensitive stuff somewhere safe!
  - FerretFred 6mo ago
    I agree! Having seen how some of the police operate in parts of Europe I wouldn't want to upset them especially if I don't speak the language. I have a burner tablet and can always keep stuff I need in the Cloud.
elcritch 6mo ago
As I understand it, the US is one of the few countries where police can’t force you to give a password and is protected by the constitution. Looks like in the EU it varies depending on the law. But unless it’s in their constitution the laws could be changed. For example, see the current UK government trying to get rid of trial by jury for some crimes since it’s inconvenient.
- traceroute66 6mo ago
  > the current UK government trying to get rid of trial by jury for some crimes since it’s inconvenient Remove that tin-foil hat. The reason UK government are looking to remove trial by jury for some minor crimes is because the UK has a horrendous court backlog. It is not uncommon to have to wait a year or more for your day in court. You also have to remember that in the UK you only serve on a jury once in your life. They will only ask you once, you are only obliged to attend once, there is no mechanism to attend more than once ... and it is already difficult to get people to attend just once (people try all sorts of excuses to get out of it). Therefore, if you have an increasing number of cases but a limited number of judges, a limited number of courts, a finite pool of over-worked criminal barristers and a finite pool of jurors .... Eventually you're going to have to start making hard decisions. Of course its not ideal. Of course in an ideal world everyone would have trial by jury. But it is what it is.
  - tolien 6mo ago
    > You also have to remember that in the UK you only serve on a jury once in your life. Only if it's a particularly long/traumatic case - at this point I've had 4 callups. Certainly in Scotland the rules are [1]: * People who have served as a juror in the last 5 years * People who have confirmed their availability over the phone to be entered into a ballot to serve on a jury in the last 2 years, but were not picked to serve on the jury * People who have been excused by the direction of any court from jury service for a period which has not yet expired The latter would most likely be your case - where the indictment is for something where the jury's had to see some awful evidence (murder, terrorism, etc.), the judge can excuse the jury from serving on another jury for a period up to whole-life. 1: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/coming-to-court/jurors/excusal-from-jury-service https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/coming-to-court/jurors/excusal...
    - traceroute66 6mo ago
      > at this point I've had 4 callups. Well, since we're doing random anecdotal evidence ... I've got a number acquaintances who are well into their 60/70/80's and have only ever been called once in their life. I would suggest more than once is the exception rather than the rule.

FerretFred 6mo ago

Sadly yes. IANAL but under the Ripa Act they can issue a section 49 notice and you risk imprisonment for not complying. However, they need proper authorisation to do so, and the notice must be lawfully issued, so presumably a magistrate. This is all part of our famous British Justice!

threiw 6mo ago
There are several exceptions. Like border crossing or when hate crime is investigated. Arguing about legality, while interacting with police, is always losing move. Just carry burner devices, and store sensitive stuff somewhere safe!
- FerretFred 6mo ago
  I agree! Having seen how some of the police operate in parts of Europe I wouldn't want to upset them especially if I don't speak the language. I have a burner tablet and can always keep stuff I need in the Cloud.

elcritch 6mo ago

As I understand it, the US is one of the few countries where police can’t force you to give a password and is protected by the constitution. Looks like in the EU it varies depending on the law. But unless it’s in their constitution the laws could be changed. For example, see the current UK government trying to get rid of trial by jury for some crimes since it’s inconvenient.

traceroute66 6mo ago
> the current UK government trying to get rid of trial by jury for some crimes since it’s inconvenient Remove that tin-foil hat. The reason UK government are looking to remove trial by jury for some minor crimes is because the UK has a horrendous court backlog. It is not uncommon to have to wait a year or more for your day in court. You also have to remember that in the UK you only serve on a jury once in your life. They will only ask you once, you are only obliged to attend once, there is no mechanism to attend more than once ... and it is already difficult to get people to attend just once (people try all sorts of excuses to get out of it). Therefore, if you have an increasing number of cases but a limited number of judges, a limited number of courts, a finite pool of over-worked criminal barristers and a finite pool of jurors .... Eventually you're going to have to start making hard decisions. Of course its not ideal. Of course in an ideal world everyone would have trial by jury. But it is what it is.
- tolien 6mo ago
  > You also have to remember that in the UK you only serve on a jury once in your life. Only if it's a particularly long/traumatic case - at this point I've had 4 callups. Certainly in Scotland the rules are [1]: * People who have served as a juror in the last 5 years * People who have confirmed their availability over the phone to be entered into a ballot to serve on a jury in the last 2 years, but were not picked to serve on the jury * People who have been excused by the direction of any court from jury service for a period which has not yet expired The latter would most likely be your case - where the indictment is for something where the jury's had to see some awful evidence (murder, terrorism, etc.), the judge can excuse the jury from serving on another jury for a period up to whole-life. 1: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/coming-to-court/jurors/excusal-from-jury-service https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/coming-to-court/jurors/excusal...
  - traceroute66 6mo ago
    > at this point I've had 4 callups. Well, since we're doing random anecdotal evidence ... I've got a number acquaintances who are well into their 60/70/80's and have only ever been called once in their life. I would suggest more than once is the exception rather than the rule.