US Customs to Use Social Media to Track Foreign Travelers
Those Who Plan to Visit the U.S. may Need to Surrender Their Social Media Handles
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a new security measure that may involve foreign travelers giving out their social media account names. The proposal was sent to the Federal Register and if approved would add an optional question in the traveling forms, asking for the visitors' "Social Media Identifier."
The Proposal
According to the proposal submitted to the Federal Register, visitors may need to vet their visiting purposes by putting their social media identifiers. Non-U.S. citizens are required to fill out the traveling forms once they arrive or depart from the U.S. with or without visas.
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The proposal clearly stated that the asking of social media accounts is only optional. Furthermore, the DHS will only be asking for account names and not passwords. Travelers can opt to not put their account names in their travel forms.
The DHS may use the visitors' social media accounts to investigate whether they have certain connections to dangerous groups. The current process of getting a U.S. visa is through personal interviews, fingerprinting and database checking.
It is unknown how the agency will be screening the names through social media. A grace period of 60 days has been given to the public to let them comment on the proposal. They can write to the Washington, D.C. office before the amendment will be set on motion on Aug. 22.
Social Media Accounts as Added Security Measure
The proposal will be used as an added security measure for travelers visiting the U.S. Several U.S. agencies have been pressured by various groups and the public about tightening border security by screening people on social media. The pressure even increased after the San Bernardino shooting on December 2015.
One of the shooters apparently posted on his Facebook account a public announcement about the incident. They also have private messaged their friends on Facebook regarding the shooting and were messaging back and forth even before their U.S. visas were released.
Do you believe that screening foreign travelers will tighten the border security of America?
