U.S. Asks Foreign Travelers to Voluntarily Disclose Social Media Profiles Jeff John Roberts - Fortune
go to original December 24, 2016

A member of Homeland Security walks with his K-9 dog as travelers wait in the TSA security line at O'Hare International Airport on December 23, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. O'hare International Airport is one of the busiest hubs in the nation during the weeks surrounding Christmas and New Years. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)

Starting this week, the federal government began asking some travelers to the U.S. to supply details about their social media accounts. As you can see below, Uncle Sam now wants visitors to disclose their presence on popular services like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in what appears to be a long shot attempt to screen for terrorists.

The collection of social media data, which was first proposed by Homeland Security this summer, does not apply to U.S. citizens. Instead, it is for now aimed at foreigners from 32 countries who apply to arrive in the U.S. under the “visa waiver program” - an online tool that lets short-term visitors skip the formal process of applying for a visa.

Here is a screenshot from the online application that shows a list of social networks in the drop-down menu:



Even though the request for social media information is optional, the program has attracted intense criticism from the tech industry and civil liberties groups. The critics point out that social media profiles can reveal deeply personal information - sexual orientation or political viewpoints, for instance - and that the collection program could lead other countries to impose similar requirements. As a result, Americans traveling abroad could have to hand over their Facebook profile to enter a country.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear if the program, first reported by Politico, will improve security. The reason is that would-be terrorists, even a dim-witted ones, would be unlikely to disclose their social media profile to the U.S. government.

The 32 countries affected by the visa waiver program are mostly European and affluent ones. So far, the request for social media information doesn’t appear to apply to citizens of Canada and Mexico, who need a passport but not a visa or visa waiver to enter the U.S.

Read the rest at Fortune

Related: Homeland Security Agency Dismantles Ineffective, Discriminatory Muslim Registry (American Immigration Council)

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