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Not really, no. Especially when you're used to just walking through an automated machine which I get to do for most of the time when I travel. First I thought

Not really, no. Especially when you're used to just walking through an automated machine which I get to do for most of the time when I travel. First I thought I would bring my computer with pirated movies on it but when I read up online I decided not to bring a computer at all. People in the thread seems to think I am defending the process which I am not. I just state that people seem to hype the evilness of the border control.

js8 9y ago
> I decided not to bring a computer at all I also prefer travel without much electronics, since it's easy to get it lost or stolen. But it's not always an option - if you're traveling for business, you have to take the computer, and also everybody has a smartphone these days. > I just state that people seem to hype the evilness of the border control. Maybe to you it seems like a hype. But I was born in totalitarian country, and while it was pretty benign for ordinary people (I was a child), it's not something that I want to live through regardless. Asking about trip details or looking if I don't have weapons and so on is fine for a visit. But looking at my social media accounts (although I have almost none) and data on my devices - these are totalitarian practices. I understand that you don't feel that way, because you perhaps never experienced totality, but please you should also understand that many people feel differently (like the guy with the top comment).
- staticelf 9y ago
  I do feel that way though. I wouldn't want my devices to be searched and is the only reason why I didn't bring my laptop. Trust me, I am against searching peoples computers and private lives as much as anyone but I still think it's a bit blown out of proportion.
  - js8 9y ago
    Fair enough. I have two questions, then: 1. Don't you think that to decide not to take electronic devices in 21st century for travel is a reaction that is out of proportions? It's pretty drastic measure, if you ask me. 2. How are the foreigners to change U.S. government's mind, if not by "blowing it out of proportions"? What other recourse is there? Maybe for U.S. citizens, and especially those that have to do with the tourism or international business or academia, yeah, it sucks that it's "blown out of proportions". But see - they are the citizens, they can pressure their government to take strong stance on the issue and forbid these practices as totalitarian (and obviously useless - no combination of bits on my phone or computer is by itself going to harm anyone).

js8 9y ago

> I decided not to bring a computer at all I also prefer travel without much electronics, since it's easy to get it lost or stolen. But it's not always an option - if you're traveling for business, you have to take the computer, and also everybody has a smartphone these days. > I just state that people seem to hype the evilness of the border control. Maybe to you it seems like a hype. But I was born in totalitarian country, and while it was pretty benign for ordinary people (I was a child), it's not something that I want to live through regardless. Asking about trip details or looking if I don't have weapons and so on is fine for a visit. But looking at my social media accounts (although I have almost none) and data on my devices - these are totalitarian practices. I understand that you don't feel that way, because you perhaps never experienced totality, but please you should also understand that many people feel differently (like the guy with the top comment).

staticelf 9y ago
I do feel that way though. I wouldn't want my devices to be searched and is the only reason why I didn't bring my laptop. Trust me, I am against searching peoples computers and private lives as much as anyone but I still think it's a bit blown out of proportion.
- js8 9y ago
  Fair enough. I have two questions, then: 1. Don't you think that to decide not to take electronic devices in 21st century for travel is a reaction that is out of proportions? It's pretty drastic measure, if you ask me. 2. How are the foreigners to change U.S. government's mind, if not by "blowing it out of proportions"? What other recourse is there? Maybe for U.S. citizens, and especially those that have to do with the tourism or international business or academia, yeah, it sucks that it's "blown out of proportions". But see - they are the citizens, they can pressure their government to take strong stance on the issue and forbid these practices as totalitarian (and obviously useless - no combination of bits on my phone or computer is by itself going to harm anyone).