UK border crossing and electronic privacy: What do I need to know as a visitor?

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You would be disappointed if you thought you had more rights entering the UK than the US. From this article:

UK activist Muhammad Abdur Rabbani has been charged with obstruction of justice after refusing to provide encryption passwords to police at an airport stop in London. He is due to appear in court in Westminster, England on June 20th.

Rabbani is being charged under the UK’s controversial Terrorism Act, which allows police to compel British subjects to turn over passwords to encrypted devices. Rabbani was initially stopped in November, and arrested when he refused to provide passwords to local police.

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In addition to the other answer, this is a follow up answer with the result of the case.

On September 26th 2017, Muhammed Abdur Rabbani was convicted of obstruction of justice for failing to supply police with the password or PIN for his electronic devices.

Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot rejected the defence, saying he had taken a "calculated risk" to refuse yet again to hand over the Pin and password, despite being warned.

She handed him a conditional discharge - meaning that nothing more will happen if he commits no crime for the next 12 months - and ordered him to pay Β£600 in costs and a Β£20 victim surcharge.

His electronic devices have been retained by the Metropolitan Police Force for ongoing examination.

This pretty much puts significant weight behind the lawfulness of the ability for the police to require you to hand over your passwords and PINs at a UK border, under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

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