Tourists arrested in U.S. on terror charges over Twitter jokes

[HappySqurriel]

SvennoJ said:

HappySqurriel said:
While I don't think the reaction was appropriate, I think the tourists were being morons ...

I have yet to see any security from any country that has a sense of humor, and they're going to agressively investigate any threat that they come across regardless of whether most people think it is a joke or not. Anything you say in a public forum will likely be tracked by all countries that have the capability to track it, and making the wrong joke on twitter close to traveling to another country will likely get you an appointment with a man wearing rubber gloves.

Am I the only one that thinks it's absurb that it is regarded normal nowadays that all your conversations are tabbed by government agencies of different countries?

The terrorists won anyway. I used to love going on holiday in the states but now I rather stay here or go to Europe. I'll take the more expensive direct flight instead of a layover in Detroit or NY.

This isn't a defence of the actions of the TSA but it is remarkably foolish to complain that it is violating your rights to have anyone listen to things you publicly broadcast. While there is a valid debate about the extent the government should be tracking their own citizens, it is foolish to complain about the government tracking publicly brodcast information of foreigners to look for threats.