US Customs interested in your social network accounts

I have a strong opinion.
I've never had much inclination to visit the US, but this finishes me off.

Reading emails, now demanding to know what social media you use.
So much for freedom of speech and the land of the free.

They can bugger off, and take with with them the wish they lose as much tourist income as possible.
The US government is turning itself into a right wing police state the East German stasi would have loved.



I can see why that would get deleted as politically ripe, so feel free to do so if you wish.

Until then, report a neighbour.

USAxit? I agree with you that the feds start to become really annoying in many ways. I do like to have my elected officials and representatives at driving distance. I think that the EU and Washington are pretty much the same, self-serving bureaucrats screwing the little guys.

CBP officers don't have the manpower to check your social media. The wait time at port of entries is long enough like it is. They will target search individuals who are on the watch lists for sure, nothing new here, FBI is already well ahead of them on this subject.
Legitimate tourists are pretty safe. They won't be pulled aside for their social media.

Veedushi wrote:

In case this proposal is officially accepted, you will have to provide information associated with your presence online, including your Internet service provider, your credentials on social networks, among others.

Though optional, this new system aims at gathering sufficient information to cross-check with ongoing investigations so as to better identify anyone whose presence in the country could harm.

This is a conflicting statement.  The official statement is that providing the information is indeed optional, not mandatory.

In any case, I find the motion to be ridiculous.

'Ongoing investigations' means the individual is already targeted by the US government. You don't have to provide your information. It is 'optional'.

From the federal register:
"Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide DHS greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case."

Knowing that this is optional, I don't know if a possible individual intending to commit "nefarious activity" will voluntary supply their social media activities....I doubt it.

oenos wrote:

"Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide DHS greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity

nefarious - wicked or criminal.

Criminal is reasonable, but who decides what is wicked?
I know many American who consider the slightest work condemning the US for anything to be wicked, leaving the possibility some agent peeking into your social media might very well refuse you for your beliefs, not your actions or the likelihood of you committing a criminal act.

Let's get real, only a total moron would post about any criminal acts they've committed (yes, I know a few have), but many post their feelings regarding American foreign policy (And internal politics), so this can only be aimed at them.