[tjk]

I'm an European and I lost all hope of ever visiting USA without losing the last bits of my privacy and dignity.

Back when TSA screening entered into force I pretty much knew it's over, but actually my somewhat (over?) enthusiastic contribution to the Tor project turned out to be, and I'm not afraid to use that word, the mistake that most probably hit the final nail in the coffin.

If even random companies mention my Tor project involvement in their recruitment emails than what is the chance the neurotic and overly paranoid American security agencies will let it slide?

[bane]

Don't worry. I'm an American and by far the three worst experiences I've ever had with being searched happened in Europe (going into Russia, going into France and through Germany to Italy).

At worst the TSA has been annoying, but I've never had to say, dump the contents of all of my carry on onto the floor and talk the person through what each item was and why I needed it (France), or get questioned why I had brought a snack in my carry on (Germany), or detained while my instruments were looked through with mirrors for drugs (Russia).

[lemming]

I was detained for four hours at Newark airport. I was entering on a visa waiver for some meetings, and I was just coming off the back of another visa waiver trip. They were basically trying to prove that I was working illegally in the US. I had to empty the contents of my pockets and the bag I was carrying. The guy took my wallet, took every bank card out of it and asked me where the bank account was held, how much money was currently in the account and how much money went through the account each year. He made me switch my laptop on and spent some time looking through files on it. He literally told me "I think you're lying to me, you better come clean or this will be bad for you". He spent ages typing into my file on his computer (supposedly, maybe he was writing his girlfriend) and told me that if I ever tried to come back on a visa waiver I would be declined (untrue, as it turns out).

Obviously if you're American it's easier because they can't deny you entry. I basically had two options - do everything he said, or go home, miss my meetings, and have to tick the "I've been declined entry to the US" box every single time I go to the US for the rest of my life, which would make every border crossing a multiple hour ordeal.

[runejuhl]

I'm European, and I've never been hassled during my travels. The worst I've experienced was having to pull 10m of ethernet cable out of my carry-on in Stavanger Airport, Norway, but that's it -- and I can easily see how a rolled-up cable might've hindered the airport security from looking through my bag. Off the top of my head I've been through England, Denmark, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Spain, Egypt, India, Nepal, Germany, Holland, Italy, Portugal and Peru, and I've never had any trouble.

Maybe you've just been targeted because you're American, just like Brazil is fingerprinting US Americans[1] to pay back the amount of trouble foreigners often find themselves in when visiting USA?

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US-VISIT#Similar_systems_in_oth...

[raverbashing]

You do realize that bringing food/agricultural products is forbidden on several countries, right?

Times I have been questioned by customs while entering the Schengen space: zero

This may be more likely depending on the origin of your trip though.

[mcv]

I'm European, and the first I've experienced is having to take off my shoes while someone pats me down because the metal detector beeped at my belt or shoes, and someone else X-rays my stuff.

I found it annoying and invasive, but it sounds like even the mildest TSA procedures are a lot worse than that.

No, actually the worst I've experienced was having to bribe some guard in Mali because I couldn't find the receipt for my luggage.

[hindsightbias]

I'm all for abuse while overseas. I've never been felt up anywhere but Frankfurt. They were quite polite about it, but it was obviously payback. Guy and woman. I asked if the woman could do the TSA-feeler search and they laughed.

It was puzzling that they were completely gobsmacked and lost searching my backpack. It's a Deuter. Made in Germany. It was like I was doing a late-night infomercial for them.

[laumars]

That must have been quite some time ago because Europe has had open borders for years.

I've had road trips across Europe and not had my passport requested even once; let having it stamped and having myself and property searched.

[tptacek]

The same thing happened to me on a train from Switzerland to Prague.

[kghose]

Bane, Bane. You need to get with the program. In order to appear intellectual and progressive you need to state that the USA is the worst thing ever by bringing up some anecdote about Police State USA. Anecdotes about bad treatment in Europe are just not cricket. Especially about France and Germany. Thank god you didn't say anything negative about any of the Nordic states. That's really bad.

[zobzu]

It's pretty rare that this stuff happens to be honest. I enter the USA very often and TSA agents are very nice more often that not.

I should note that i travel with weird electronic gear that they've generally never seen (a lot of it is hand made..) yet, never had any issue. They do scan and ask to see what it is, I always comply with zero question of course.

[acqq]

Are you involved in Tor development or something similar? Is your response relevant then?

[jmspring]

Just to be nit-picky -- TSA != DHS/Immigration.

[United857]

To be more nit-picky, both TSA and immigration (CBP) are separate agencies under the DHS organization.