Rimon Partner Joseph Rosenbaum Quoted in ZDNET on Biometrics vs. Passcodes

Rimon partner Joseph Rosenbaum was quoted in ZDNET in an article examining the legal implications of using biometrics versus passcodes to unlock smartphones amid increasing reports of warrantless device searches by government authorities.

Joseph explained why passcodes generally receive stronger protection under the Fifth Amendment compared to biometric authentication, highlighting the constitutional distinction between information stored in one’s mind and physical characteristics such as fingerprints or facial scans.

“Passwords or passcodes, because they represent information contained in a person’s mind, seem to generally be considered the same as requiring someone to testify against themselves in court or in a deposition,” Rosenbaum told ZDNET. “That information is more likely to be legally protected under the Fifth Amendment as potentially self-incriminating.”

The article explores how courts are grappling with these issues, the unsettled legal status of compelled biometrics, and what this means for individuals concerned about privacy and constitutional rights—particularly in high-risk contexts such as airports and border crossings.

Coverage can be found here:
ZDNET: https://www.zdnet.com/article/biometrics-vs-passcodes-what-lawyers-say-if-youre-worried-about-warrantless-phone-searches/

About Rimon PC

Rimon, P.C. has 50 offices across five continents. The firm is widely known as being at the vanguard of legal innovation.

The firm has been repeatedly recognized by the Financial Times (FT) as one of North America’s most innovative law firms. Rimon’s Founding Partners were both named “Legal Rebels” by the American Bar Association’s ABA Journal and have spoken on innovations in the practice of law at Harvard and Stanford Law Schools.

Rimon and its lawyers routinely receive numerous awards for excellence, including from Chambers, Legal 500, and Best Lawyers.