I'd never thought of that. I would have accepted that situation if it had a rip cord and not had been happy about the requirement. However, I'm very confident that it'll never happen as that people will pull the rip cord to record. (Heck I would probably obey the rules and pull the ripcord right before handing back the case to remove the phone)

They don't quite lock it away. They give you a special pouch that locks, you put your phone in that pouch, lock it, and then they unlock it for you at the end of the show. Your phone doesn't leave you at any point.

Not trying to argue for or against that policy. But comparing it even remotely to the COVID situation you are describing (that is currently happening in a certain country) is about as self-aggrandizing and out of touch as it can get.