Goodbye from a non-US member

Well folks,

This is my last post ever on Cruise Critic.

Why, because the US DHS has decided that applicants for an ESTA (permission to enter the US under the Visa waiver scheme) are going to be required to declare their social media accounts so that the DHS can check what they are posting.

I do not have a Facebook or Twitter account and my social media activity is restricted to this site and my yacht owners' association.

I do not anticipate that anything I might post would offend the sensitivities of the DHS, but the bottom line is that I still wish to visit the USA and see no point in doing anything which might give any cause for concern to those in authority.

So, given a choice between posting and running the risk of any of my well intentioned posts being badly received by some anonymous person in the DHS, I have concluded that the no-risk option is to desist from making any further posts, and to limit my social media activity to my yacht owners' association.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36650857

CM

Good luck!!

Sorry to see you go. I've found a number of your posts to be valuable and informative. Wishing you fair winds and all the rest.

Jim

Such is life in the "land of the free".

Although the article mentions that giving your social media ids would be optional, I still have problems with it. Here in America we are asked for non-required information all of the time, most people freely offer it without thinking about it. Last night I went to the store to return a pair of shoes I had purchased the day before. The cashier asked for my email address and phone number. I told her, "no", and insisted that this information had nothing to do with the transaction in question. She replied that it's "policy". I told the clerk that I too have a policy, and it's to not give personal information unless legally required, and if she needs to input a phone number and email address so badly, she could make one up or use her own. :p

I am so sorry about this. I think it is wrong.

I would feel the same way if I was visiting another country.

I had not heard of this - thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Perhaps you need to read that article again. This has not even passed yet, it's just a proposal and as you can see a similar one was struck down already. Even if it were to pass it states giving social media info is optional plus it's only a username NOT password info.

So sorry to hear this. I had been thinking of you both this week and now I see your post. We enjoyed our cruise with you that Christmas and our meals together. Still hoping to see you on another Princess Cruise. Take care and enjoy your sailboat. Best wishes from us both.

It hasn't passed yet so no need to worry. It may never pass. It's best to not worry about things that haven't happened yet and may never happen. Life's too short.

How would they know you unless you told them? I'd never forfeit that information to the brown shirts - ever!

Buh-Bye. Best wishes.

To quote Buffalo Springfield band:

"Paranoia strikes deep,

and into your heart it will creep."

...VTX-Al

The more security the better with all the problems today. We need to know who's coming into the country, even if we have to loose some honest people. It's a case where one rotten apple soiled the whole barrel full.

I have always enjoyed your posts.

Sorry to see you leave.

Hopefully you will be back.

OP

You are over-reacting IMHO

1. It is a proposal.

2. It is proposed to be optional.

3. Don't tell them - they are not going to spend resources trying to find out whether you have posted garbage on FB etc..

If you restrict the things you want to do because some paranoid FW proposes something stupid (which this is), you are the loser. Provided you do not use certain phrases which will spook GCHQ/Langley;) you have nothing to worry about.

OP

 

Provided you do not use certain phrases which will spook GCHQ/Langley;) you have nothing to worry about.

I think you mean Ft Meade, not Langley.

Leaving CC because of this potential change is a little silly.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The more security the better with all the problems today. We need to know who's coming into the country, even if we have to loose some honest people. It's a case where one rotten apple soiled the whole barrel full.

From Thomas Jefferson:

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

To quote Buffalo Springfield band:

 

"Paranoia strikes deep,

and into your heart it will creep."

Where's the thumbs up button?

Such is life in the "land of the free".

Although the article mentions that giving your social media ids would be optional, I still have problems with it. Here in America we are asked for non-required information all of the time, most people freely offer it without thinking about it. Last night I went to the store to return a pair of shoes I had purchased the day before. The cashier asked for my email address and phone number. I told her, "no", and insisted that this information had nothing to do with the transaction in question. She replied that it's "policy". I told the clerk that I too have a policy, and it's to not give personal information unless legally required, and if she needs to input a phone number and email address so badly, she could make one up or use her own. :p

Good for you!

The more security the better with all the problems today. We need to know who's coming into the country, even if we have to loose some honest people. It's a case where one rotten apple soiled the whole barrel full.

After just returning from a visit to the US I think there is a lot of work needs to be done in house as well as focusing on those from outside based on the week we had in Orlando.

Nice place, not the best first visit to Florida.

Well folks,

 

This is my last post ever on Cruise Critic.

CM

I hear ya Grenville, why take the chance, besides CC has way changed anyway, I next to never use it anymore myself, not what it used to be.

With what you guys just went through over on that side of the pond and the way the world is changing, it is better to side on caution, just not worth it. Weather just a proposal or not things are going on that if you can avoid it that is the best choice.

Until we meet again, hi to Ann and Trina sez hi.

Take care, we have each others email anyway...

So sorry maybe someday we will meet on a cruise. It will be my privilege to shake your hand. I enjoy your posts to me you are one of the good guys.

Tony

Don't forget, when you're in Germany, that you can't criticize the President of Turkey. Every country has their weak points. Freedom of expression is actually one of our [uS] strengths, even though we aren't perfect.

Can I ask who's proposing this?

The more security the better with all the problems today. We need to know who's coming into the country, even if we have to loose some honest people. It's a case where one rotten apple soiled the whole barrel full.

The US Government does not have enough employees to search (even with automated searches) for meaningful comments made by user names on numerous social media web sites by millions of ESTA applicants each year.

Last night I went to the store to return a pair of shoes I had purchased the day before. The cashier asked for my email address and phone number. I told her, "no", and insisted that this information had nothing to do with the transaction in question. She replied that it's "policy". I told the clerk that I too have a policy, and it's to not give personal information unless legally required, and if she needs to input a phone number and email address so badly, she could make one up or use her own. :p

Love it! Or you could do what I once did. Same scenario and when I asked why she needed it was told "because I'm told to ask", so I made up a really long email address - and watched her struggle to enter it. At least be honest and tell me it's so that your company can spam me...