Welcome to the United States can I please see your Green Card, Facebook, and Twitter?
The United States will now start collecting social media information of all immigrants entering the country in an effort to better screen those entering. Does this go too far? The information will become a part of the immigrant file, it was unclear if the information will be updated regularly or if it would be collected once and kept as a reference.
It would seem to be effective information it would have to be maintained as a live link. Otherwise, the information would not be relevant for a long period of time. Then if it was used as a link to be accessed again as needed it could be argued that if something happened, why was their social media not monitored regularly for suspicious activity. This would take an enormous amount of manpower and is this the best kind of "extreme vetting" there is? I can make social media life for myself that looks like anything I want you to believe about me. People get "catfished" all the time, I am sure it wouldn't be hard to "catfish" the government.
As for some of the legality of the collection of the social media information, Faiz Shakir Says this:
“This would undoubtedly have a chilling effect on the free speech that’s expressed every day on social media,” Faiz Shakir, the national political director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. “This collect-it-all approach is ineffective to protect national security and is one more example of the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant agenda.”
You can find the full article here:
U.S. to Collect Social Media Data on All Immigrants Entering Country
Personally, I do feel that it is a little far stretching to go as far as to view peoples social media. However, America may be to that point. I strongly feel that the reason America has received as much back lash as we have is because we are just too damn nosey. Sadly, this is just another example of that. As Shakir gives mention it does feel like it violates the entire idea of freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting article that you have found. I do believe that it is too far to start collecting this type of information from people trying to enter this country. This is not something that should be used to base opinions on a person in that type of manner. I think there are going to be a lot of negatively implications that come along with this regulation and it could lead to major biases.