I am downvoting mainly because nothing in this comment adds to the discussion and it is derogatory to americans without any real cause.

Secondly because it happens to be wrong.

I have experience with the Australian job environment and the British job environment. Both locations try to get you to disclose your past salaries in this way. In my experience, they don't force you to, by using online app forms or refusing interviews to those who don't tell past-salary, but perhaps I'm not applying for the same kinds of jobs as the author of this post. They do, however, ask - all the time... and they make you squirm if you try to avoid the question, even though they have no particular right to the information.