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New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

papersplease.org

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Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#41

Post by JumpCrisscross »

saguro wrote: post #33
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> almost everyone reports getting a cookie-cutter email or scripted response about why the rep will stay the course Who is “almost everyone”? Any personal experience? Mine involves getting a personal e-mail from my state Assemblyman, being patched in to the senior legislative aide to my U.S. Congresswoman who spoke to me at length about the issue, getting follow-up by e-mail to calls after the points I raised were di…

You're suggesting that your n=1 anecdote weighs more than those thousands of reddit stories? Or that my position is invalid because instead of engaging in another n=1 anecdote I aggregated the outcome of many? For your one story, you can click the top few links of that search to see detailed accounts and full documented histories from representatives who are clearly systemically stonewalling this kind of activism. An…

> thousands of reddit stories

Many of “thousand of Reddit stories” are just like your comment. Repeating a meme, nothing more.

Will your representatives always be responsive? No. Some are worse than others. On some issues, the political tea leaves are too obvious to merit discussion.

By and large, however, representatives and their staff care about their constituents. When you call (better than form responses on websites), you show you care about an issue. Their offices want to know if you represent a budding movement they can attach to.

You’ve cast aside a core civic right and, in my opinion, duty, based on anonymous forum comments. It would take you thirty minutes to call yourself, but that’s too much of a hassle. Fine, that’s your right. It’s also mine to call out your comments as emotional self-indulgence more than anything substantive.

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#43

Post by benevol »

"In other words, CBP is now claiming the authority to confiscate your cellphones, laptops, memory cards, and any other electronic devices if you won’t tell CBP your passwords, and to retain the passwords you give them as well as the contents of those devices.

Yes, this applies to U.S. citizens and permanent residents as well as visitors."

That is just insane and unacceptable.

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#46

Post by ilaksh »

MentallyRetired wrote: post #29

https://xkcd.com/538/

Except they don't have to drug or hit you. They just "confiscate" it if you don't tell them your password.

The last time I went to the airport, I was really tired and it was apparent I hadn't slept. I guess being exhausted and ugly made me suspicious. They way they interrogated me like a criminal and forced me to provide personal details made me seriously consider emigrating.

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#47

Post by fyfy18 »

eganist wrote: post #3

Hmm can this be filed as an insurance claim if they keep the device?

Most travel insurance policies have an exclusion for this, something along the lines of the following (taken from an AXA UK policy):

  Your policy does not cover you for any claim directly or indirectly resulting from any of the following:  
  ...  
  8) Confiscation or destruction of property by any customs, government or other authority of any country

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#48

Post by kylec »

jimnotgym wrote: post #18

I don't know if it worries my American chums, but I won't visit the USA. As a foreign tourist bringing money into your economy I feel there is a very real risk to my privacy and increasingly my person. I am beginning to favour goods and services from EU where human rights still mean something. Perhaps it doesn't matter to you how the US is perceived overseas, perhaps you don't want my money. Perhaps you don't mind be…

To be honest, I doubt the amount of money brought into the US by foreign tourists amounts to much in the big scheme of things. I respect your principled stand against the threats against your security and privacy by the US Government, but it won’t really make anyone here poorer.

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#49

Post by 3131s »

jimnotgym wrote: post #18

I don't know if it worries my American chums, but I won't visit the USA. As a foreign tourist bringing money into your economy I feel there is a very real risk to my privacy and increasingly my person. I am beginning to favour goods and services from EU where human rights still mean something. Perhaps it doesn't matter to you how the US is perceived overseas, perhaps you don't want my money. Perhaps you don't mind be…

I am an American living outside the US for ~5 years. It's become very difficult to plan for the future now that I am in a permanent relationship with a non-US citizen (we would be married already if not for the various complications associated with being different nationalities). Especially since she is from a so-called "shithole" country, one of the poorest on earth, we have doubts about whether it's even worth ever trying to go back to the US longterm. What if we do everything right, go through the green card process, and then suddenly green cards just no longer exist? That statement might have sounded crazy 10 years ago, but can anybody really assure me otherwise now?

I know 10+ people who are educated, hard-working, and have every qualification yet are denied a simple tourist visa to the US for whatever reason. The process is lengthy, costs a decent amount of money, consists of filling out ridiculous forms on antiquated websites and attaining sponsors from the US, and then results in a 5 minute interview where some prick essentially makes a snap judgement about the candidate. We got lucky once with the tourist visa process, but that was pre-Trump.

The US is an utter embarrassment, and if it weren't for my family still being there, I wouldn't really care much about never going back.

Re: New DHS policy on demands for passwords to travelers’ electronic devices

#50

Post by IronBacon »

rtpg wrote: post #10

Have there been any court rulings that limit searches at the border at all? Are there any lines at all upon which we can rely on? Even a tiny exception to the "4th ammendment exception" might allow for crafting safer transit.

I think the borders are technically not US soil so they are covered by a different set of rules/authorities. I could be wrong, not an US citizen, I seldom cross borders, feel free to correct me... ^__^;
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