TSA asking to see cell phone
Traveling in the US.
My plane ticket showed TSA precheck, so I was able to keep shoes on.
I put everything in my book bag/ carryon, and ever the paranoid person, asked my wife to go first and grab my stuff.
Sure enough I was picked for a random search. Here’s the question - does TSA have the right to ask to see my phone?
He did, and I told him I checked it in my bag, no way to get it. He wasn’t happy with that answer, but after repeating “so you have no possessions on you?” twice and me answering “no”, he swabbed my hands and let me go.
If I did have my phone, what exactly would he have done? Asked me to turn it on? Start looking through it?
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Why did TSA check my cell phone?
TSA said the screening \u201cis solely intended to verify that there has been no physical tampering or hidden threat placed within the electronic device.\u201dDo you have to give your phone to TSA?
Travelers can refuse access to their devices, but customs officers are not obligated to allow someone into the country.TSA: Screen All Electronics Bigger Than A Cell Phone | NBC Nightly News
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Porapak Apichodilok, Torsten Dettlaff, Damir Mijailovic, Masood Aslami