1mo ago

US officials forced to share bald JD Vance meme by denying tourist’s claim he was denied entry over photo

www.independent.co.uk

US officials reject claim tourist was denied entry over bald JD Vance meme

DHS does not deny strong-arming tourist into letting them into his phone, only that agents sent him home because of a meme

The story circulating online — first in Norwegian newspaper Nordlys and then picked up by British tabloids — claims that during Mikkelsen's encounter with the Department of Homeland Security, agents took his phone and found a meme depicting Vance as a bloated, smooth, bald man staring off into the distance.

Mikkelsen claims that the officials threatened to fine him $5,000 or send him to prison for five years if he refused to provide them with his phone password. The tourist ultimately agreed to hand over his information, allowing agents to look through his phone.

The reports picked up enough steam in headlines and on social media to justify CBP putting out a statement denying parts of the story.

78 comments

Wait... Lemme (ha!) get this straight...
If they want to search your phone or any electronic device when entering the US and you refuse, you get fined 5000$ and get a 5 years prison sentence?????
They don't just deny you entry and send you back?
- The CBP is basically an unchained lunatic with a credit card and access to unthinkable networks of treachery. We are no longer living in a time when these rules matter. Judges order are explicitly being ignored, and the Supreme Court is batting away any attempt to even disarm the lunatic.
  
  That's because US customs and the TSA is not and should not be taken seriously, and they're known to lie about pretty much everything, constantly.
  If they ever make a statement, about anything, you can safely assume that the opposite is the actual truth of what they claim.
- Don't bring your regular phone when traveling to countries like China or the US
  
  Create an encrypted backup
  upload it to a cloud storage of your choice
  reset your phone
  once you're past the immigration checkpoint, download the backup and restore it
  This is how I've always done it. If anyone asks, say you just bought the device.
  
  Have you been to China? They do none of this shit. They don’t gaf about your phone.
- When prisons are for-profit --
- Remember kids, law enforcement of any kind is legally allowed to lie to you directly without consequence. Call their bluff, every time.
- You're lucky if you don't get disappeared to a Central American gulag.
- Well, the times when the US was a reasonable and just country are long past.
Moral of the story: Do not go anywhere near the states. It is a fascist country and they will deport you to el salvador lickety-split.
The fact that meme bothers them is hilarious though. Imagine a protest at the Capitol with a huge crowd all carrying big signs with nothing but that meme on it. 😂
- I don't suppose anyone here has a link to a high(ish) resolution version of it? Asking for a friend.
- Not that I'd plan on going to the US any time soon but the thought of them checking my Lemmy profile because I have the JD Vance baby meme as my banner is just hilarious to me 😂 what if a bunch of planes just started flying around with a gigantic image of it?
- People could print out a bunch and wheat paste them around downtown, especially near the vice presidential compound/naval observatory.
Time skip 10 years in the future
History Channel: Memes in American History
- 🫲Aliens🫱
  
  "couches"
Just a reminder for anyone travelling to the US (or any other totalitarian regime that doesn’t respect right to privacy).
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/how-to-safeguard-your-phone-when-entering-the-us-5-essential-security-tips
I can’t remember the combination of buttons you need to hold down on your iPhone to disable biometric unlocking and to force erase your phone.
Anyone else remember these, and know the equivalent combination for Android devices, please comment.
Keeping multiple devices is the easiest way to get by. Have a burner phone for everyday use when travelling and keep your main phone either at home, or locked and unpowered in your luggage.
- To disable biometrics on your iPhone, simply press the power button five times, rapidly.
  This also gives you a power off option and an SOS button.
  If you want to fully encrypt the phone before confiscation, turn it off.
  
  This can be paired with the “Erase all Data” option in “FaceID and Passcode” settings to add another level of security.
  Just remember to play dumb when you “accidentally” incorrectly enter your passcode 10 times in a row and to make sure you have a recent backup that you are able to access.
  
  Or press and hold the power button and the volume up button, if which clicking isn’t possible as it might not be easy for some.
- You clearly must be joking
  Any "regime" like you describe, which btw, the US is not even remotely close to being unsafe for travelers as you imply, will take anything you carry on yourself without any due process
  I'm not saying they "threaten" you with it
  I'm not saying they "can" but won't do that to you
  I'm saying they just do it.
  Try traveling to Palestine, Yemen, Venezuela, China, Iraq, Afghanistan or North Korea.
  You will get the idea of what a "Regime" actually is
  With any luck we will hear about you on the news haha
Even when you enter China the officials won't check your phone. They just tell you to install their "com.gov.mfa" apk downloaded from a server with invalid SSL certificate and totally not suspicious permissions like:

android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE android.permission.INTERNET android.permission.READ_PRIVILEGED_PHONE_STATE android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE android.permission.CAMERA android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE android.permission.READ_SETTINGS android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION android.permission.GET_TASKS android.permission.RECEIVE_USER_PRESENT android.permission.WAKE_LOCK android.permission.VIBRATE android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW android.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES android.permission.BLUETOOTH android.permission.CALL_PHONE android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE android.permission.PROCESS_OUTGOING_CALLS com.asus.msa.SupplementaryDID.ACCESS com.gov.mfa.permission.SP_NOTIFY_CHANGE com.coloros.mcs.permission.RECIEVE_MCS_MESSAGE android.permission.REORDER_TASKS android.permission.USE_FULL_SCREEN_INTENT android.permission.DOWNLOAD_WITHOUT_NOTIFICATION android.permission.ACCESS_DOWNLOAD_MANAGER android.permission.LOCAL_MAC_ADDRESS android.permission.READ_APN_SETTINGS android.permission.BROADCAST_STICKY android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS com.gov.mfa.permission.TMF_SHARK com.gov.mfa.permission.MIPUSH_RECEIVE android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES android.permission.FLASHLIGHT android.permission.MOUNT_UNMOUNT_FILESYSTEMS android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED com.gov.mfa.permission.PROCESS_PUSH_MSG com.gov.mfa.permission.PUSH_PROVIDER android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MEDIA_PROJECTION com.huawei.appmarket.service.commondata.permission.GET_COMMON_DATA
and totally legitimate looking activities like com.tencent.rtmp.video.TXScreenCapture$TXScreenCaptureAssistantActivity , com.tencent.qcloud.logutils.LogActivity and com.tencent.liteav.audio2.permission.PermissionActivity
- I have entered the US around 10x/year and haven't being searched (I'm not saying it doesn't happen, tho), I've visited china multiple times last years and not been asked to install anything, either. Haven't heard about that app install requirement before, any articles about it?
  
  In around 2019 two of my colleagues were visiting China for business thing, one had Xiaomi phone and wasn't asked to do anything, another had Samsung and his phone was searched.
  It's an anecdote, so make of it as you will.
  
  It's not forced but the paper slip for immigration now is online, so it's this app or the mini app inside WeChat (or waiting a couple hours in the line for the clerk that basically signs up a WeChat for you and inserts your data in the MFA mini app)
- android.permission.FLASHLIGHT
  long slow stare ...but WHY THOUGH?
  
  Flashlight on android is actually a flash for camera, if you want to get proper access to the camera you kind of need this one.
  
  After a quick analysis of the app it looks like used by an activity licensed by a japanese software house that shines it to see if it has a live person in front of the camera or a picture of it. The legitimate use of this in the app it's because you can apply to visa, passports and certificates remotely without the need of going to the embassy (you still need to go in person for identification though, as they don't really trust it)
  
  If the secret police are trying to find you, they could turn on your flashlight and make hiding harder?
  
  Because he’s lying. I travel to China regularly and they don’t give a fuck about my phone. Not once have they done more than just glance at my passport, glance at me, and stamp it and send me on my way.
- No they don’t. Customs in China is like 2 seconds of them glancing at your passport, looking at you, and stamping it. Literally the fastest I’ve ever got through an airport is in China, both arriving and leaving.
  
  Since 2023 they need you to fill the online immigration form online from this app or in a web app inside WeChat. If you don't have a phone, you can do an extremely long line to a kiosk where you essentially do the same.
  Immigration office then they want to see the qr code generated by that app, it can be a screenshot and you can generate it while abroad (they also wanted the legacy handwritten slip, maybe it was just for a temporary measure waiting for other ports to update)
  Source: I personally experienced it in Guangzhou airport
- Lol, btw my dad who is still a PRC Citizen had to download an app and install it via .apk, because the Google Play Store doesn't have it, in order to apply for the Passport Renew in the app. Because (1) there is no Embassy in my city, and he'd have to travel 2-3 hours to get to the closest Embassey/Consulate and (2) since Covid, they made appointment process much difficult, and encourage online application instead.
  They have do like a face scan using the app. Very futuristic to not have to do it in person, but simultaneously very uncanny and creepy to have essentially the Embassy stepping inside your house with the camera and microphone permissions.
  I think he kept the app installed to check on the application progress, so the CCP could've technically heard the political debates about Taiwan and stuff in the house. So yea I'm probably on the watchlists of both PRC and USA for being a dissident, the two most powerful nations in the world doesn't very like dissidents like me who hates authoritarians. Wonderful. If they every go after everyone, I literally have nowhere in the world that can escape from the tentacles of these both these authoritarians. But lucky I'm not that important, so so far, no agent of the government have come after me, yet.
- Wow, I'd just buy a new phone to install this and only this app if thats what it came down to. One with a removable battery that I could remove the battery between any required usages.
Is there a correlation of what's going on here with a concept referred to as the Streisand Effect? Or does that not apply?
Edit: I guess not since they were likely not trying to spread this meme, but rather, make an example of someone who laughs at Couch Guyliner memes. Still, all the same, it would be hilarious if this incident causes people to follow this visitor's example.
- Guess what my phone's wallpaper is now when I travel?
  
  Ooh nice choice! I’m using a protest wallpaper too. Though mine’s that “accidental Renaissance” shot where someone graffitied “EAT THE RICH” on the Utah capitol building, with three cops standing around while a crowd protests behind them. It’s just too beautiful.
Come next election cycle, there needs to be a reckoning. Not only does Trump and many of his appointees go to prison, it also needs to be investigated how so many bureaucrats and officers are so willing to do Trump's bidding. Unless those people are removed too, Trump 2.0 is going to happen.
So is there any legal requirement for this photo to be achieved forever? I would love to know a copy is always on government file if need be.
- Library of Congress. Get some politician to show it in Congress. On the record.
  
  If we sane people ever manage to win the country back, that picture’s totally going into a history textbook.
  
  Right alongside Hunter's dong, LOL.
Cool, but ehm… why does the meme look like a bad Magic Eye 3D image ?
- It's the contrast of his pink head and that particular shade of blue in the background creating an optical illusion.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromostereopsis
  
  That is pretty damn cool. Thanks for sharing!
Preload some Joe Biden memes for express processing.
That's why I pretend to be Canadian when I travel overseas. I put tiny Canadian flags on my luggage and phone. I tell people I am from Vancouver.
- That’s about as cool as pretending to be any other culture.
  But it’s ok for Americans somehow to fake being from a different culture to not be looked down on.
  
  Yeah, I definitely understand if my fellow Americans pretending to be our Northern neighbours when travelling overseas.
  We aren't not that popular. Only Russians like us.
  
  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
- Lol. I promise you everyone can tell.
  
  I am sorly, eh?
- Lisa gets it. From “The Italian Bob,” an episode where the family visited Italy:
  
  I love my Canadian Lisa!
Anyone have the meme in question?
- https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2931608-bald-jd-vance
- It is the thumbnail of the article.
  
  I was wondering if it had text to it? How funny it was? Or if it was just the picture, like you shared...?...
They could fine me but I wouldn’t be paying it and they could lock me up but best believe that would be an international incident once my government gets involved, not that I would be travelling to such a hostile nation in the first place.
I can't wait for people to start using this photo Rickroll-style.
LOL, talk about the Streisand effect. Was this some fan of Taco getting butthurt that something already viral was on a phone? I guess he just made it even more viral.
🤣

78 comments