How to keep your data safe when you travel

Apr 22, 2025 · Summarized Apr 22, 2025

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Key takeaways

Data security is crucial when traveling internationally, especially regarding cell phone privacy laws and customs procedures.
Investments in streaming by big tech companies like Apple and Amazon are often motivated by brand elevation rather than immediate profit.
The Google Pixel has established itself as a top choice for users looking for a straightforward smartphone experience amidst competition.

Summary

Keeping Your Data Safe While Traveling

In the first segment, David Pierce interviews Gabby Delvae about the complexities of traveling with your phone across borders, especially concerning data security in today's politically charged environment. Delvae shares important insights and practical tips on how travelers can protect their data, including what to do if approached by customs officials who wish to search their devices. The conversation launches from a hotline question regarding the experiences of a European traveler facing concerns about U.S. customs processes and privacy.

Big Tech and the Streaming Wars

In the second segment, David invites Matt Belloni from Puck to discuss why big tech companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google are investing heavily in the streaming business. Belloni explains that, for companies like Apple, the goal might not be purely financial success in streaming, but rather a way to elevate their brand and provide value within their ecosystem. They examine the current landscape, discussing Apple's unique approach to content creation and how it contributes to their overall strategy.

Spotlight on the Google Pixel

The podcast wraps up with a discussion about the Google Pixel, based on a listener's hotline question. The team reflects on the Pixel's evolution from a curiosity to a recommended choice for non-tech-savvy users. They explore its simplistic design, camera quality, and how it has carved out a niche in a market dominated by more complex options. The conversation highlights the significance of the Pixel's current standing as a reliable, easy-to-use smartphone alternative.

Show notes

If you’re heading on vacation this summer, you’re going to want to listen to this. The Verge’s Gaby del Valle joins the show to explain how worried you need to be about your digital data when you cross borders, and what you can do to protect yourself. Even if you don’t think you have anything to hide, a little precaution goes a long way. After that, Puck’s Matt Belloni joins the show to explain why Apple, Amazon, Google, and other tech companies continue to pour money into the streaming business, when it seems so far removed from what those companies do well. (Spoiler alert: it’s fun to be friends with Ben Stiller.) Finally, we answer a hotline question about the Google Pixel’s ascent to “best Android phone for people who just want a phone.”

Oh, also: thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Webby Awards! We’ll know soon whether we won, but however it shakes out, we’re so grateful to everyone who voted for us.