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Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

idlewords.com

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Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#151

Post by the_watcher »

tacostakohashi wrote: post #19

This is completely naive. Firstly, social media's only incentive is to make your data as widely available as possible (in the interests of ad revenue), and maintain a good relationship with the government in their jurisdiction. Every other existing "privacy" setting on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc is already obfuscated to the point of unusability, for this reason, and "travel mode" would be no different. Secondly, lets im…

Facebook has incentives to make your data available to advertisers. That does not mean it needs to make your data available to someone who possesses a device that you accessed Facebook from. The point of the idea is that when you turn it on, your data isn't removed, it's simply not accessible via a device until it's turned off.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#152

Post by the_watcher »

nodamage wrote: post #54
paulv wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the article: > To work effectively, a trip mode feature would need to be easy to turn on, configurable (so you can choose how long you want the protection turned on for) and irrevocable for an amount of time chosen by the user once it’s set. There’s no sense in having a ‘trip mode’ if the person demanding your password can simply switch it off, or coerce you into switching it off.

It doesn't even have to be a time lock, what if you left behind a key or random passcode at home that could be used to switch it off when you return?

What about a location or IP-lock? That way the only way to unlock it is to literally bring it to a location inside the US, where Constitutional protections do apply.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#153

Post by tedunangst »

krapp wrote: post #116
idlewords wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who care deeply about these issues work at Facebook and Google.

Facebook and Google also cooperate closely with the US government, law enforcement, intelligence services and state department. How can they be part of the solution when they're part of the problem?

If they already have unlimited access to your account, they wouldn't need to ask for the password. But ok, fine, stipulate that the US knows everything. The feature is still useful for people going to Canada.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#156

Post by FireBeyond »

tptacek wrote: post #36
waterphone wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then if border agents really want to get in to a particular individual's device, they'll just detain them (or seize their device) until trip mode automatically turns off.

They would be required to detain people for an indeterminate amount of time, potentially weeks. The idea is that it's impractical (and also illegal) for them to do that. If enough people travel-locked their accounts, invasive social media monitoring would be off the table.

Indeterminate? Being a non-citizen with a one way ticket is already pretty good cause for being subject to high scrutiny - this would likely tip the balance in favor of refusal.

Most people have return tickets. So (and don't think for a second I'm in favor of this) they'd know exactly how long your detention would need to be.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#157

Post by FireBeyond »

idlewords wrote: post #43
waterphone wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then if border agents really want to get in to a particular individual's device, they'll just detain them (or seize their device) until trip mode automatically turns off.

CBP is not allowed to detain US citizens past some nebulous limit measured in hours.

No, but they can "tip off" law enforcement who will tap you on the shoulder as soon as you leave the customs area and start the clock again, with different rules.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#158

Post by Oxitendwe »

tptacek wrote: post #4

To be effective, this would need to become a kind of norm for overseas travelers, the same way traveler's checks used to be. The idea would be that just as you don't carry a bag with your birth certificate, stock certificates, property titles, and jewelry with you, you also don't carry a 10 year archive of every email you've ever sent or a detailed list of every person you've ever spoken to. In particular, it needs t…

>even in the happiest timeline we could have ended up on after 2016

I'm not really sure why you mentioned this, did something bad happen?

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#159

Post by halostatue »

tptacek wrote: post #33
mholt wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't that also render your account essentially useless when your trip is over? (Unless you're traveling for, what, years at a time?)

No, again, the point of the travel lock isn't that you can't use Facebook at all, but rather than your history and social graphs are restricted. For most ordinary purposes, Facebook will probably get more usable while travel-locked.

Yeah. Everyone* would be able to see what I’m posting during my trip (which itself could be dangerous…), but no one could see the history until after the trip.

* who is normally allowed to see what is posted in the first place.

Re: Social Media Needs a Travel Mode

#160

Post by tedunangst »

Oxitendwe wrote: post #158
tptacek wrote: post #4

To be effective, this would need to become a kind of norm for overseas travelers, the same way traveler's checks used to be. The idea would be that just as you don't carry a bag with your birth certificate, stock certificates, property titles, and jewelry with you, you also don't carry a 10 year archive of every email you've ever sent or a detailed list of every person you've ever spoken to. In particular, it needs t…

>even in the happiest timeline we could have ended up on after 2016 I'm not really sure why you mentioned this, did something bad happen?

Prince died.
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