Where “optional” means… what?
That a privileged European like myself can bet his $3000 vacation to the US on the hope that when they say “optional”, they really mean “optional”, even though at the same time they say they can reject me for no reason whatsoever should they have a bad day?
The field has to be there for someone. Someone is being pressured into giving up this information.
Exactly. Which is why I’m taking it personal.
It is customary for countries to require visas on a reciprocal basis; Americans can enter Austria without a visa. Our own politicians haven’t yet had the spine to call the US on its bullshit and require visas.
Sure, Austria is officially on the list of “Visa Waiver” countries. But that’s just a visa by another name. Apply in advance, pay a fee, etc. They just use a different word.
And now they want to add an infringement on my fundamental human rights to the list. Of course, they will just ask me to give up my rights voluntarily.
East Germany, 1986. For Austrians to get into East Berlin as tourists, they made you wait in line, fill out forms, pay fees. To me as a five-year-old the line seemed terribly long, and the wait was boring. US border checks always reminded me of that.
The East Germans did not ask for social media accounts, of course. But what would have been an equally rights-infringing question back then?
