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by chrisbolt 3432 days ago
> It's now common for border agents in the US to demand login credentials for social media accounts, and search all electronic devises.

Can you define common?

2 comments

Requesting account names is already common practice: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/foreign-travelers-soci.... That does not include passwords, and it's "voluntary". But having filled out US immigration forms a few times (and watched others doing it), the process is quite intimidating and many will be pressured into providing that data. Why else would they? There is no upside to the US gov having that data for me.

With regards to passwords, I don't have numbers, but have seen a few dozen reports over the years without actively looking for them and knowing someone personally to whom it happened (he refused and was allowed entry after a few hours). And whatever is currently discussed would probably include it, considering the San Bernadino case they cite as justification involved information shared with strict privacy setting:

https://www.google.de/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=us+askin...

The ESTA form asks for social media accounts (though not passwords, and ostensibly providing the accounts is "optional"): https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
It does indeed. Here is a screen shot: http://imgur.com/a/jreOU
Oh wow that wasn't there last time I ESTA'd. Good thing I got that business visa a few years ago.

Then again, I used my social media and general web presence as partial justification for the current O-1 visa so ... oh well.

At least they can't find anything by googling my legal name.

Fucking hell, that's the first time I see this too. I might have to reconsider my US trip...