U.S. Border Patrol Could Start Asking for Social Media Account Information
The agency is proposing that visitors to the U.S. provide "information associated with [their] online presence" on visa applications.
Franco Bouly / CC BY-ND 2.0
A proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection would see information concerning people’s Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts requested on travel forms.
The Guardian reports:
US Customs and Border Protection’s proposed change would add a line on both the online and paper forms of the visa application form that visitors to the US must fill out if they do not have a visa and are planning on staying for up to 90 days.
The following question would be added to both the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) and I-94W forms: “Please enter information associated with your online presence—Provider/Platform—Social media identifier.”
The information will be optional, for now, but the proposed change published by the US Federal Register states that “collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide Department of Homeland Security (DHS) greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case.” …
Current DHS pilot programmes are being kept under wraps but are said to scan a limited amount of social media posts.
The pilot programmes currently used by DHS do not sweep up all social media posts, though government officials have kept details of the programmes closely held, as they do not want to reveal the precise process they use to try and identify potential threats.
—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
Your support matters…Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.
You can help level the playing field. Become a member.
Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.
Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.
Editorial Cartoons
Technology
A new study by Consumer Reports looks at who is sending information about your online activity to Facebook.
Technology
Information on people’s menstrual cycles is part of the kinds of datasets that are shared and sold to advertisers.
World
A new lawsuit claims the tech giant has failed to moderate harmful content that incites violence in Africa.
In a private Facebook group, firefighters and paramedics shared memes and conspiracy theories doubting the pandemic, raising concerns that they aren’t taking precautions to protect themselves and others.
Here’s how to effectively counteract the forces of corporate capitalism.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.