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Comment by throwaway-blaze | Hacker News Reader

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People - Canadians included - have literally been sent to a gulag at the border crossing, for social media posts and otherwise. Can you really not see why that would cause someone to not want to enter?

Moreover, he literally said he continues to be a supporter of that org.

That was fake news.

“The French researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory — in violation of a nondisclosure agreement — something he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal,”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/world/europe/us-france-sc...

The article doesn't say exactly what information. Is it something that technically maybe could possibly be considered under NDA? Or something more substantial? France said:

> “Each country is free to regulate their borders,” Mr. Baptiste acknowledged. But he said the scientist’s case was “extraordinarily atypical” and a “subject of concern.”

I'm inclined to believe that they think this is atypical. How did he "attempt to conceal" it?

People have been sent to the gulag by the Canadian government as well, not too long ago. Governments are disgusting.

Terrance McKenna once said something like "The worst government is the one in power, regardless of the time."

Essentially, regardless of who is in, they rarely teardown the injustices of the past but merely build on them. They will rip out like 20% of things that are socially changing but after that it is a ratchet upwards on things that cement in further power.

Have a link to share about it?

I believe the UK is doing a similar thing with regards to social media posts.

How is that relevant? He wasn't invited to an unconference in the UK.

If 'WhatAboutism' is your best defence, then you are in a desperate place.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

Huh. You read that as whataboutism. I just saw "this is also bad, let's list the offenders". Not an excuse or normalization, but an expansion of scope. It may not be terribly useful or relevant in this instance, but I tend to lean towards wholistic examination of issues, which must include all the places and forms where they appear.

Then again, maybe I'm just bad at recognizing intent from such small pieces of writing.

To add my voice to the choir: fuck all the governments pushing this nonsense. It causes harm with no measurable, justifiable benefit.

People have already been harassed for social media posts and citizens have been murdered in broad daylight simply for observing law enforcement.

Don't be ridiculous. The US operates gulags in other countries, so that they don't have to pretend to follow our own laws.

> "I won't engage with interesting people in a country whose leadership I don't like"

I dont know where you got that quote from, but it doesnt occur in the submitted blog post.

It seems to me that the important actual quote is:

"I’m Canadian and as a matter of principle feeling negative about visiting a neighboring country whose leader has repeatedly threatened our sovereignty and shown massive disrespect for our nationhood."

I live in Europe and I agree with the author's misgivings.

> Also love he thinks his social media posts will cause him to be sent to a gulag at the border crossing.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/a...

> Effective March 30, the Department of State will expand online presence review to include applicants in the following additional nonimmigrant visa classifications [...] To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for A-3, C-3 (if a domestic worker), G-5, H-3, H-4 dependents of H-3, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, U, H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public” or “open.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-musk-f...

> A French scientist was denied entry to the US this month after immigration officers at an airport searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticism of the Trump administration, said a French minister. [...]

> The same source said that messages discussing the Trump administration’s treatment of scientists had been found. The researcher was reportedly then accused of writings “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/15/austr...

> An Australian man who was detained upon arrival at Los Angeles airport and deported back to Melbourne says United States border officials told him it was due to his writing on pro-Palestine protests by university students.

Whether it would happen or not is immaterial. The perceived threat is enough. I've been here on a green card since 2016 and haven't left the country since his second term since I share the exact same fears.

Plenty of people have had their social media posts result in extended detention by our border security.

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