{"id":566,"date":"2018-10-30T07:38:13","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T12:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jebware.com\/blog\/?p=566"},"modified":"2018-10-30T07:38:13","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T12:38:13","slug":"whats-the-point-of-lockdown-mode-in-android-p","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jebware.com\/blog\/?p=566","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the point of Lockdown Mode in Android P?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201cLockdown Mode<\/a>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0is a new feature in Android P — it disables fingerprint login, forcing you to enter your PIN\/passcode to unlock the device. \u00a0This is an important, but subtle, distinction. Ultimately, what\u2019s the difference between your passcode and your fingerprint?<\/span><\/p>\n

The difference comes down to legal precedents in the US. \u00a0Legally, the police can compel you to unlock a device using biometrics (e.g. face or fingerprint). \u00a0They can\u2019t, however, force you to unlock the device using your passcode. This is due to the Fifth Amendment to the US constitution — you can\u2019t be compelled to testify against yourself. \u00a0Courts have said that revealing your passcode is equivalent to providing testimony against yourself — but using your body to unlock the phone isn\u2019t legally the same thing. I\u2019m not going to try to explain the underlying legal theories in depth, but if you want to read more, check out these articles:<\/span><\/p>\n