"If U.S. asks foreigners for their passwords, American travelers may face the same"

Illegal search is still an illegal search, and can be thrown out in a court of law, but if you volunteer this info, it can't be used against you. NSA can capture every keystroke, but it is not permissible in court. This is overreaching power.

Every human being have inherent rights, and citizens of a particular country may have additional rights. And thats why we have an entire constitution written to prevent overreaching government.

"This is for your own security" , first foreigners, then anyone the govt calls traitors (without any proof)/anyone who questions the govt/in any watch list.

originally posted by: olaru12
Any half assed hacker can get all the info they need with a $50 skimmer. Privacy in the real world is an illusion.

What the hell is a skimmer? Sorry, not a hacker, don't know these things.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Perfectly valid and legal at a point of entry into the US, as the US Supreme Court has already ruled.

a reply to: dreamingawake

This would be a very bad idea. I suspect the day is coming where citizens will be expected to do this too. To quote Hannity on the radio today, "We're sliding back into a pre 9/11 mentality. We need security, and if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear".

I believe it's illegal to do so?
But yea, just don't have social media, it's simple

People need to understand the difference between individual rights verse the right of a sovereign nation to protect itself against people wanting to enter.

At a border crossing the doctrine of individual rights is weighed against the interest of a sovereign nation. The legal principle is called the "border search exception".

* - 4th Amendment - Search and Seizure - types and exceptions

Border Searches.—“That searches made at the border, pursuant to the longstanding right of the sovereign to protect itself by stopping and examining persons and property crossing into this country, are reasonable simply by virtue of the fact that they occur at the border, should, by now, require no extended demonstration.”87 Authorized by the First Congress,88 the customs search in these circumstances requires no warrant, no probable cause, not even the showing of some degree of suspicion that accompanies even investigatory stops.89 Moreover, while prolonged detention of travelers beyond the routine customs search and inspection must be justified by the Terry standard of reasonable suspicion having a particularized and objective basis,90 Terry protections as to the length and intrusiveness of the search do not apply.91

Some things to note -
* - Contrary to what people like to claim a border search only applies at a border crossing. CBP wanting to stop / investigate an individual inland and away from a border crossing are required to have the same reasonable suspicion / probable cause as any other law enforcement officer. The 100 mile exception bs was corrected by supreme court rulings.

* - The time of detention, or terry protections, does not apply to border control locations. A normal law enforcement contact (traffic stop) allows for about 15-20 minutes before the officer should be complete and allow the driver to leave. This is not absolute however the longer the detention goes the more the officer will be required to defend the length of time that is taken.

No reasonable suspicion, probable cause or warrant is need for a border search. A border search covers everything coming into the country - your person, personal affects, electronics, phones, car, boat, plane, train etc etc.

Any questions just ask. Hope the info helps explain the why's with regards to a border crossing, sovereign state rights verse individual rights etc.

Crickey, this is all getting a bit paranoid. I'll be visiting the US this coming year. Three weeks in August to visit my English brother and family who live in the Northern hillbilly wasteland (as he describes it).

Wondering whether we should meet across the border in Canada, which looks a bit "safer".

originally posted by: SaturnFX
There is no way this can be real. there is oppressive, then there is next level authoritarianism. My United States will never be that level of BS. Thats a amped up 1984 level dictatorship. China doesn't even care to know that much about people they actively oppress.

I'm sorry, it's been like 1984 for many years. Only, the tech was behind the curtain.

a reply to: VengefulGhost
What's this site your replying on then???
I will say it again, the US security agencies DO NOT spy on Americans. The UK agencies do that and tell the US agencies what they want to know, and that's everything that they hoover up. And the US agencies reciprocate by spying on UK citizens. Easy aint it, and no laws have been broken.
Even in the UK it is well known that the police monitor social media accounts. So just remember every time you press that keyboard someone somewhere can see it. No matter what site or country you are in.
And don't babble on about all your security on your devices you just have to remember one saying "if one man can make it, one man can break it".

time to change my pw to f you with some numbers thrown in.