If it was evidence, they fucked up BIG TIME if their actions weren’t read-only from the beginning. A distress password would be an attempt at destruction of evidence, but completely unsuccessful.

TBH, it makes perfect sense. If you don’t want to be subject to the laws of California (or whatever state/city/country), you need to genuinely not be there. This is true as a resident or a business.

It doesn’t surprise me at all that people want the benefits of living in California without the obligations.