I was a little late to the fingerprint unlocking game. Due to my extreme iPhone case, the fingerprint unlock didn’t work. I love it, but I’m inclined to turn the feature off.
While you can’t be compelled to give up your password due to the Fifth Amendment, you could be compelled to give your fingerprint. After all, police ask for fingerprints as part of their usual process.
A state appeals court in Minnesota has ruled just that according to this Techdirt article. This is just one court case, but I think privacy will start moving in that direction. I’m not a criminal. On the surface, I have nothing to hide. I haven’t done anything wrong, so why should I care if the police see my contacts, pictures, and appointments?
The problem, of course, is it creates a terrible precedent. We’re innocent until proven guilty and out of context, stuff on your phone could be incriminating. A joke or picture out of context could be really damaging.
We take privacy seriously here at DoctorDave Computer Repair. We know your mobile device, tablet and computer have intimate information. If you work with us, our goal is to keep that information in your control. We’ll keep it away from hackers and unauthorized government intervention.
Photo by West Midlands Police