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US Visitors May Have to Hand Over Social Media Passwords: DHS (nbcnews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the privacy-woes dept.

People who want to visit the United States could be asked to hand over their social-media passwords to officials as part of enhanced security checks, the country's top domestic security chief said. From a report on NBC: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Congress on Tuesday the measure was one of several being considered to vet refugees and visa applicants from seven Muslim-majority countries. "We want to get on their social media, with passwords: What do you do, what do you say?" he told the House Homeland Security Committee. "If they don't want to cooperate then you don't come in."

11 of 652 comments (clear)

  1. Against TOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At least with FB it's against the TOS, and if you sign on from an unfamiliar IP, it would try other challenges to validate your identity.

    1. Re:Against TOS by Kagato · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Because it's against the TOS, it's against the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. CBP is asking people to commit a felony. The United States Court of Appeals held just last year that sharing password and allowing access contrary to the TOS is a violation. There are people in PRISON right now for commit this crime. I would not recommend doing it and Facebook should make a statement that what DHS is proposing is against the law.

      If DHS wants to do this they need to ask congress to add an exemption to the CFAA.

    2. Re:Against TOS by retchdog · · Score: 3, Interesting

      this wouldn't be a search; it would be a compulsion to divulge information, which would then be used to assist in searching for something which isn't at the border.

      additionally, like most universal claims, what you're saying is obviously false if read literally. for example, i don't think the courts would find it reasonable to conduct a mass cavity search in the lobby of an airport, on all debarking passengers from Syria (or wherever).

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  2. WTF? by Calydor · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I can imagine Facebook, Twitter etc. blowing up over this.

    Besides, if they get password access how can they use ANYTHING they find as evidence of anything? They've got WRITE access, for crying out loud! The evidence chain isn't just poisoned, it's rotted right through.

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    1. Re:WTF? by The-Ixian · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I think it is fine as long as all other countries ask for traveling American's passwords.

      Just wait for that blow-up

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      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
  3. The message this sends by rossdee · · Score: 5, Interesting

    USA doesn't want tourists visiting the country
    or business people doing trade deals

    1. Re:The message this sends by thegarbz · · Score: 5, Interesting

      To be fair that's been the message for a long time. There's few countries I dread visiting, and the USA is one of them. I remember my last business trip clearly.

      "Welcome to the United States of America" it said in the customs area of the airport. I got to stare at that shitty sign for 3 hours as a single customs man took his time individually fingerprinting and questioning the thousand visitors queued up.

      America is a lovely place and the people are lovely and friendly. But I still dread actually clearing customs in that area and I say that as a white ordinary privileged man.

  4. Profit motive will keep us safe (probably) by sjbe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm not surprised DHS is "considering" something like this. Certain gestapo elements in our government always are trying thuggish and ill considered tactics to make their lives easier. This is plainly a stupid and counterproductive idea to anyone with a functioning brain but the danger is real enough. The good news is that the companies affected (Facebook, Twitter, etc) have lots of money and flesh eating lawyers to fight such an over-reach by the government. I don't generally trust Facebook but I do trust their profit motive and DHS forcing people to hand over passwords is a clear and present danger to their bottom line.

  5. Read-only password needed by QuietLagoon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If this behavior is permitted, then the social media sites need to start implementing read-only passwords for account. It is one thing to allow the US government to see everything n your account, and all your friend's accounts. It is an entirely different thing to allow the US government to act on your behalf with your account.

  6. Re:What's stopping other countries? by The-Ixian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I would love to see this happen.

    Just wait for the entitled Americans to cry to their government reps about how they are being treated like garbage.

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
  7. How is data "at the border"? by Comboman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How exactly is data sitting on a server in silicon valley "at the border" just because the person who created that data is at the border? By that logic, you can search their car, house, workplace and bank account without a warrant as long as they are standing at the border when you do it.

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