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'Social Media ID, Please?' Proposed US Law Greeted With Anger (computerworld.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the view-comments dept.

The U.S. government announced plans to require some foreign travelers to provide their social media account names when entering the country -- and in June requested comments. Now the plan is being called "ludicrous," an "all-around bad idea," "blatant overreach," "desperate, paranoid heavy-handedness," "preposterous," "appalling," and "un-American," reports Slashdot reader dcblogs: That's just a sampling of the outrage. Some 800 responded to the U.S. request for comments about a proposed rule affecting people traveling from "visa waiver" countries to the U.S., where a visa is not required. This includes most of Europe, Singapore, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand... In a little twist of irony, some critics said U.S. President Obama's proposal for foreign travelers is so bad, it must have been hatched by Donald Trump.
"Travelers will be asked to provide their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+, and whatever other social ID you can imagine to U.S. authorities," reports Computer World. "It's technically an 'optional' request, but since it's the government asking, critics believe travelers will fear consequences if they ignore it..."

5 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Gov't building database on US citizens by QuietLagoon · · Score: 5, Interesting
    If a foreign traveler is coming to the US for a visit, chances are that person will have some facebook, linkedin or other social media contacts who are US citizens.

    .
    So, in effect, this proposal results in the government building a database of US citizens. The government couldn't do that directly, so they go about it indirectly, i.e., using foreigners as the entry point into social media. From that entry point, they just follow the links and connections.

  2. Re:Guilty by omission? by Xian97 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This seems more to be a forum than social media to me. I don't have friends or follow anyone and post no media. Slashdot would only be considered social media in the very broadest sense. I post on a few forums but have no social media presence at all in what is generally understood to be such, like Twitter, Facebook, et al.

  3. Tough luck if you don't do social media by melting_clock · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It would make it difficult for those of us without a facebook, twitter, instagram, linkedin or google+ account... Not having these social media account means you cannot provide them which could be interpreted as a refusal to supply account information... Maybe not by a sane person but the people that make and enforce these rules are another story. That could complicate entry to the US by appearing suspicious and have the typical effect of harming the innocent while doing nothing to improve safety and security.

    I generally avoid social media because of privacy and security considerations. I do have memberships of many forums and discussion groups because they offer an acceptable level of privacy.

  4. Non-Nefarious Reasons... by SeattleLawGuy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Generally I don't think they should be doing this because of the potential for abuse, but there actually *ARE* reasons why it could be used in ways which are not really privacy invasive.

    The Visa Waiver Program allows stays of up to 90 days. After 80 days, if you have not left the country they could use your social media for a friendly reminder. It might help someone who was going to overstay feel like someone is paying attention and that they have to follow the visa law, and reduce the number of people overstaying their stay in the United States.

    --
    Real lawyers write in C++
  5. How is this news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I am a German citizen with a Turkish sounding last name and have been requested to provide my email used to login to Facebook and Twitter every time I entered the US in the last years. That is when they single me out at the border and immigration desk each time in the last five year, claim it is random, detain me for 45 minutes, 30 minutes of which is waiting for anything to happen, then ask the same questions each time such as: been traveling to Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq? Any friends there? Political affiliations of my parents? Social media login email addresses (they don't seem to need passwords)? What is my job and education?

    Even though they are seemingly friendly, any question on the why will immediately chill the atmosphere, letting the officer become cold in tone, threateningly often. I have learned not to oppose anything.

    There seem to be no rights in these situations. Fearing to miss connecting flights forces you to cooperate to the fullest, leaving a bad taste about civil liberties in your mouth.

    What is most infuriating to me is that it is always the same questions and the same fake friendlyness when I explain that I have a masters degree from a top American graduate school, lived in the US from 2003 to 2004 and am a startup founder...

    There should not be outrage about this, collecting social media accounts is already the norm. Just not for everyone...