[ferguess_k]

Who is this French researcher and what exactly did he say? I have read a few news pieces but none mentioned any details. Maybe I missed something?

I'm not implying anything, but anyone could have written a news piece like that.

[GuB-42]

He had his personal phone searched so I assume it is private information.

[guelo]

This is ridiculous. Why are they even searching their phone? Many Americans travel to Europe without having their phones searched. We do not want to become that kind of scary country to travel to, especially not the kind of shithole country where you have to be afraid not to offend dear leader.

[kergonath]

> We do not want to become that kind of scary country to travel to

It is too late for this. The common policy for researchers going to the US for conferences is to use a burner laptop with nothing but a PowerPoint file. That is the official requirements for public research institutions (which this person should have followed). Just like we do for China and we used to do for Russia. It does not make headlines every time, but a lot of us know a couple of people whose laptops were taken away for searching it. Personally I have also been using a burner phone for a few years (I should say that I had been, because all my scheduled trips to the US this year were cancelled).

> especially not the kind of shithole country where you have to be afraid not to offend dear leader

Before, providing social media handles was a nuisance (and I was never questioned about them). Now it’s scary.

Same for the questions about terrorism. It used to be funny and over the top, but if liking a post about Luigi Mangione is terrorism then it puts the whole thing in a quite different light.

[andrewinardeer]

Australian authorities will search your phone upon arrival if they believe it contains CSAM.

[gambiting]

Just a reminder that UK Border Force can confiscate all of your electronic devices for 7 days and you have to give them all your passwords to these devices and associated accounts - refusing to do so is punishable by up to 2 years in prison. And no, they don't need any warrant, just a probable cause. If you want to see more how that looks like this is a video by a guy who experienced it first hand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=991kRp8KUmo&t=1s

[guelo]

UK is one of several countries issuing travel warnings because US border gestapo have been putting Europeans in chains and deporting them. Apparently we have gone insane as a country. https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2030132/UK-issues-new-t...

[cryptonector]

To my knowledge in the U.S. foreigners can only be denied entry for refusing to give up their passwords. I suppose an act of Congress could make it more like the situation in the UK.

[guelo]

I travel to Australia regularly to visit my wife's family and I have never had my phone searched.

[andrewinardeer]

Okay.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/...

[kergonath]

"It happens sometimes" and "it never happened to me" are not mutually exclusive. Both can be true at the same time.

[briandear]

The search phones in Australia, they also absolutely do it in Europe. As in the U.S., not everyone is getting their devices searched. Travelers to Europe even get denied entry as well — but their home country’s foreign minister doesn’t typically get involved.

The UK will deny entry over social media posts.

Let’s just please be factual.

[vinni2]

Can you please provide evidence for your claims and be factual?

[DrNosferatu]

But this has already happened, is it not?

[giraffe_lady]

Intentionally or not you are definitely implying that specifics of the statements make this action correct. Saying you're not doing something is not quite the same thing as actually not doing it.

[Almondsetat]

Killing is generally bad, but in some cases it can even be good. So, in absence of details what can you truly say about a killing?

[freejazz]

What could anyone say about the US president that would justify this? An actual threat on his life? The secret service doesn't appear to be involved. There are no allegations its anything of the sort. Let's not disregard our own faculties for reasoning just based upon the principle that it is conceivable that something could be true.

[cryptonector]

The only allegations we have are those of the researcher.

[giraffe_lady]

We don't have an absence of details. We have a lot of details about the current administration of the united states, what their goals are, who they perceive their enemies to be, and what tools they intend to use against them.

[boringg]

There needs to be more information - in the absence of it conspiracy theories are abound.

[guelo]

We're not getting more information. Border police refuse to talk to the press or provide any information. Trump's border chief, who was Greg Abbott's Texas border czar, is known as secretive and has ignored public records requests from the press.

[GlobalFrog]

Basically, he didn't say anything. At the entry point, he was asked to show his phone (unlocked) and computer. On one of them, in some messages he exchanged with a colleague, he was criticizing the politics of Trump in research and science. Then, he was threatened to be charged with terrorism, because his exchange with his colleague was 'hainous against Trump' and 'conspiracy ridden'. Charges were dropped after he was denied entry and his computed and phone confiscated.

[gambiting]

How do you know this?

edit: I see this has been now downvoted below zero, but the information posted here isn't in any of the official communications about it, so I think it's fair to ask where it came from, no?

[kergonath]

It’s in the article.

[gambiting]

That's all the article says, so it doesn't match everything OP said. So either OP made it up, or there is another source in case it's exactly what I'm asking for.

"According to a diplomatic source to AFP, the incident occurred on March 9. The space researcher was reportedly subjected to a random check upon arrival, during which his work computer and personal phone were searched. The same source also reported that messages discussing the Trump administration's treatment of scientists were found. He was reportedly accused of messages "that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism ." His professional and personal equipment was reportedly confiscated, and the researcher was sent back to Europe the next day."