There has been discussion of whether science fiction/fantasy conventions in the US should be considered human rights risks along with countries like China and Uganda. Some people are already panicking. A post I came across on Bluesky said, “I’ve lost all my desire to attend Seattle Worldcon. Fully aware this is a first world sort of problem but wondering if other non Americans are felling the same?” Steve Davidson, the editor of Amazing Stories, has written: “For at least the next four years the United States will not be a suitable country for hosting Worldcon. It will not be a country that is generally reflective of Fannish values. It may very well become a country that is hostile to those values.” He recognizes that there’s no way to revoke the Seattle and Los Angeles Worldcons.

Giving in to worst-case assumptions this soon is a mistake, but it’s never too soon to consider the risks. What dangers might come to US cons in the next few years raise, and who would be at risk?

There’s been fear about dangers to gays, trans people (of whom there are quite a lot in fandom), pregnant women, and so on. But Trump’s alliance with the Religious Reich was one of convenience, and he doesn’t care much about them. He might sign a bill they want if he gets favors in return, but it’s not the biggest concern. State laws will remain the real problem.

Foreign travelers may find it harder to get into the US. They might make their plans, buy memberships and plane tickets, and reserve hotel rooms, only to find they can’t come. If they can make it through that gauntlet, though, I don’t think they’ll be in much danger. Some individuals could face higher risks, especially investigative journalists. In some cases they might face espionage charges. Even today, that isn’t a risk to ignore. Think of Julian Assange and Edward Snowden.

Trump may want to prosecute people who say things he doesn’t like, but free speech protections in the US legal system are very strong. He won’t get far.

Americans traveling to foreign cons might face problems as well. Coming back home, we may face intrusive searches and even confiscation of our devices. This is already a risk, but it could get worse with the Trump administration.

Within the next four years, the United States won’t become like China, where you risk prosecution for activism that the government doesn’t like, or like Uganda, where you risk prosecution and even execution for being gay. Foreign-born people in the US, including ones who are legally living here, are at the worst risk, but that doesn’t create a risk for fannish conventions. Fans should be able to attend the Seattle and Los Angeles Worldcons safely, unless they have significant personal risk factors.

Con committees should look at ways to protect members’ privacy, such as giving an option not to be publicly visible on the convention site. They should make sure their websites don’t have known security holes. Use strong passwords, change admin account names from the default, avoid dubious plugins, keep CMS software up to date, etc. These measures will keep everyone safer, and not just from governmental threats.

Note 1: I wrote this piece before Trump announced Gaetz as his choice for attorney general. That doesn’t change the fundamentals, but it adds to the grounds for alarm.