UK tourists to US may get asked to hand in passwords or be denied entry

[Mynight]

Wonder if you could get away with wiping your electronics bar a few items and then just restore it from cloud when you get through .

Think I'd be pretty stuffed though I don't have a twitter or Facebook. I imagine that's suspicious enough to not allow me in.

Try this line;
"Don't the NSA have it all already?"

 

[enigma27]

what about those that use the likes of Last Pass?

I usually get it to generate a really random long password that I have no idea what it is.

 

[Screeeech]

what about those that use the likes of Last Pass?

I usually get it to generate a really random long password that I have no idea what it is.

Well yeah - I was thinking the exact same thing, presumably they just use that as an excuse to send you to secondary screening - where they interview you for an hour and go through all your stuff...

The whole thing is moronic,

 

[HazardO]

Sweet! Off to Las Vegas next month.....fun times and I don't even do social media.

Posts on public forum. Says "I don't even do social media."

 

[Rilot]

what about those that use the likes of Last Pass?

I usually get it to generate a really random long password that I have no idea what it is.

Same here. Got two-factor on it too so even if I gave them the vault password they would need one of my devices to get the second factor.

 

[Screeeech]

I went through 3 weeks ago with no issues at all, nobody asked me for anything other than the normal questions - unfortunately I honestly think (as unfair as it is) that they'll only apply this to asian/muslim people, ultimately if they can't/won't/don't provide anything the TSA official asks for - then it's secondary screening which sucks (I've had it)

Honestly, I'm fine with putting everything through the scanners, taking my shoes off, standing in the 3d body scanner - where they're looking for someone who might be looking to blow up something - then fine, I'll comply with all the orders - but when they start going through my entire personal life, who I know, where I work, how much money I have, what porn I fap to - and doing all this because omgterrorists, it's honestly gone too far.

 

[shiver]

As someone who travels to the US semi-frequently for work, the idea of this annoys me a lot. I'm heading back there soon and will at least opt to deactivate Touch ID on iPhones, etc.

 

[V F]

Same here. Got two-factor on it too so even if I gave them the vault password they would need one of my devices to get the second factor.

Imagine the queue if you're dealing with a certain amount of people like this.

 

[Scam]

I don't know the policy of my current employer but previous ones have had an explicit policy of never giving out passwords. I would have to deny the request and head straight back home.

Well, the thing only talks about social media so I don't know if they would ask for your work username/passwords. If they ask for some of my work stuff I would also have to refuse.

Try this line;
"Don't the NSA have it all already?"

Winner

 

[G-MAN2004]

Lol, there's absolutely no chance in hell they'd get my passwords, etc. I'd temporarily deactivate everything so even if they looked they wouldn't find much.

I'd even backup my phone, wipe it and then restore everything once I'm into the country.

 

[Quartz]

The Trump administration has all the hallmarks of a nascent facist administration. We seem not to have learnt the lessons and warnings that History has given us.

Didn't all this come in under Obama? Trump's just tried banning people from certain countries.

 

[dl8860]

This is horrendous. I get the whole 'this is our country so it's our rules and you are free to go back home if you don't like it' mentality, but normally that only applies to crackpot countries. The fact that it's the USA sets a terrible precedent, no one should be made to, or even encourage to give out a password unless there is a strong legal reason.

 

[Nasher]

Just say you don't have any social media accounts, how are they going to find out otherwise?

 

[Rroff]

no one should be made to, or even encourage to give out a password unless there is a strong legal reason.

Amen to that.

 

[Greebo]

Just say you don't have any social media accounts, how are they going to find out otherwise?

Google you?

 

[Nasher]

And sift through a few 100,000 people with the same name?

Anyway, I actually don't have one.

 

[Amp34]

Well if you're not tanned or have a beard I wouldn't worry.

(Un)fortunately that will probably be the case. All about perception rather than actual usefulness.

To be fair you aren't being forced to hand over passwords as you can just choose not to travel there. For me it wouldn't be an issue really, there's nothing interesting on there.

While thats sort of true, it becomes more complex when they class "entering" as someone being in transit. Even more awkward if you live somewhere that means to go to a large proportion of places you need to transit through the US. Even from the UK if you want to go to central or South America you may well end up transiting through the US.

I assume it would only if they pick you out, rather than wholesale, otherwise there's nothing to stop you just giving out a false password - if they don't check it right away there's nothing to say you didn't just change it after you entered for security reasons...

 

[V F]

Just say you don't have any social media accounts, how are they going to find out otherwise?

 

[Ghosteh]

Didn't all this come in under Obama? Trump's just tried banning people from certain countries.

I think it came in under Bush Jr. I think what's different now is the frequency of this happening. More devices searched in 1 month compared to an entire year.

I'm off to Vegas in July for a Security conference. I'm wiping my devices before I go regardless, but the fact I'm having to advise family members on this, sending them the pocket guide from the EFF is just ridiculous.

 

[Tom_ed1987]

Meh, at least they're being direct about it. I'll save my civil liberties concerns for something else.