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U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

usatoday.com

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Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#51

Post by mattnewton »

dguaraglia wrote: post #48
natch wrote: post #46

It certainly seems like bad guys will lie. Which makes it sound stupid at first. But maybe there's some logic to the law. At least for those who lie, it adds a punishable offense that can potentially be used for prosecution at a later date, if and when the evidence emerges. So, for example, let's say a foreign national living in the US is found later on to be apparently plotting a terror attack, but they haven't yet…

That's kind of the "gotcha" question they ask you when getting a passport in an overseas office: "have you ever been affiliated with a terrorist organization or performed terrorist acts in another country?" At face value the question is ridiculous, but they put it there just to make sure they've got you on record lying to a government official if you are ever found out to have lied. Now, the problem with the Facebook…

Yeah sounds like a way to entrap some stupid but ultimately harmless teenagers for the crime of speech supporting organizations the United States consideres terrorists.

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#52

Post by throw555555 »

Oh no !. Now I have to create twitter,facebook and instagram accounts to travel to US ? Because I dont have any. If I declare in my visa form that I dont have any account, they are not going to believe it anyway.

US is isolating themselves & getting funnier day by day.

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#53

Post by rb808 »

mattnewton wrote: post #49
rb808 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I'm mixed on this. Obviously from your social media accounts they can find nearly everything about you. However giving address & phone number probably links you too and that is just normally accepted.

People don't usually publish their thoughts on bulliten boards outside their homes and phone calls (of citizens who are comfortable giving these to the government at least) have a reasonable expectation of privacy, so that data is gated behind warrants from the judiciary.

Good point.

BTW did I mention I <3 Putin! Trump family forever! North Korea the best Korea! Chinese Communists #1.

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#54

Post by khedoros1 »

ajeet_dhaliwal wrote: post #38
Karellen wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually don't have, and have never had, a facebook or twitter account. So, if I ever try to go to the US it's likely that that will be seen as "refusal to cooperate"? And I'm likely to be denied entry because of it? Wow.

I'm the same, may be we would be advised to create a Facebook and Twitter account, but then would you be required to keep updating it and actually using it?

I've had one for a long time, but I don't post publicly. Without friending me, it's difficult to tell that the account's in use.

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#55

Post by DanBC »

mattnewton wrote: post #51
dguaraglia wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's kind of the "gotcha" question they ask you when getting a passport in an overseas office: "have you ever been affiliated with a terrorist organization or performed terrorist acts in another country?" At face value the question is ridiculous, but they put it there just to make sure they've got you on record lying to a government official if you are ever found out to have lied. Now, the problem with the Facebook…

Yeah sounds like a way to entrap some stupid but ultimately harmless teenagers for the crime of speech supporting organizations the United States consideres terrorists.

Or for the kind of stupid shit that young people do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16810312

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#56

Post by DanBC »

korzun wrote: post #29
PopsiclePete wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define "threatening". It's a slippery slope. Yeah, maybe "Allahu Akbar death to America" is an obvious one, but what about "Fuck Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate accord" - is that "anti-American"?

> "Fuck Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate accord" - is that "anti-American"? Name one country that will grant you VISA if you start yelling similar things about their president.

You can say that about the UK Prime Minister and still get entry.

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#57

Post by mattnewton »

rb808 wrote: post #53
mattnewton wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People don't usually publish their thoughts on bulliten boards outside their homes and phone calls (of citizens who are comfortable giving these to the government at least) have a reasonable expectation of privacy, so that data is gated behind warrants from the judiciary.

Good point. BTW did I mention I <3 Putin! Trump family forever! North Korea the best Korea! Chinese Communists #1.

Going to be a lot of legwork to update that if any of those countries experience drastic regime change ;)

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#58

Post by firethief »

jc_811 wrote: post #37
kevinh wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the ability to lie to government agents is a good argument against a law that allows them to ask for that information. At best it gets you enhanced scrutiny, at worst you go to jail.

Right, I see your point. But I'm saying - they are asking for public information that ANYONE can search for. When you enter the country obviously they have to ask certain questions (or get info from your passport, ie name, DOB, country of origin, etc) - but I feel people get extra worked up for social media simply because it's digital. If you have public information out there I have no problem with anyone asking for…

It's OK, they're only asking because they already know!

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#59

Post by yawnbox »

jc_811 wrote: post #19

I'm all for privacy and the government not overstepping their bounds, but could someone please let me know why this is so bad? I'm genuinely curious. Your social media info is Public. If you have information public, that is your own fault and the govt can access that regardless if you give them your handles or not. If they were asking for passwords and access to accounts - of course that would be a different ball gam…

"could someone please let me know why this is so bad"

thought police

unconstitutional (wouldn't it be nice if the USA followed its own laws?)

chills free speech

data linkability

i could go on

"If they were asking for passwords"

news flash https://www.wired.com/2017/02/guide-getting-past-customs-dig...

"Your social media info is Public"

false

"while you can easily say you don't have accounts"

do not pass go, go directly to jail. don't lie to DHS/CBP

Re: U.S. now can ask travelers for Facebook, Twitter handles

#60

Post by PopsiclePete »

korzun wrote: post #29
PopsiclePete wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define "threatening". It's a slippery slope. Yeah, maybe "Allahu Akbar death to America" is an obvious one, but what about "Fuck Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate accord" - is that "anti-American"?

> "Fuck Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate accord" - is that "anti-American"? Name one country that will grant you VISA if you start yelling similar things about their president.

Most if not all European ones will, in fact. First, they wouldn't even know you were "yelling" that on Facebook, second, the border guards who can barely be bothered to make sure your photo matches your face definitely won't care either.

They're not insecure about themselves, as societies, the way America seems to be lately. So sensitive!

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