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Comment by jsheard | Hacker News Reader

Disabling biometrics the whole time you're in the US is a bit extreme unless you have a target on your back, but most phones have a way to quickly disable biometrics until you next unlock with your PIN. At least learn how to do that just in case the shit unexpectedly hits the fan, on iPhones you press the power button 5 times in a row.

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>Disabling biometrics the whole time you're in the US is a bit extreme...

How on Earth, in any situation, for any reason, can inputting a PIN instead of using your fingerprint be considered... "extreme"?

I'd argue it's not extreme enough: Use an alphanumeric password or passphrase, as long as you can tolerate, instead of a PIN.

Disable it if you want, I'm just offering an alternative for people who wouldn't bother taking that precaution because it's inconvenient. You're not going to convince everyone to take the full measure, and a half measure is better than no measure.

My employer requires alphanumeric passcodes. So you can’t do it single handedly.

It’s also pretty moot in a customs environment. If you use your phone, chances are there’s a camera angle on your pin entry, and they have tools to crack numeric passcodes.

"unless you have a target on your back"

If you are in, or on the border of, the United States, it's reasonable to assume you have a target on your back.

Otherwise the courts would not have made such ridiculous rulings.

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