US immigration service wants social media handles of visa applicants
USCIS said it was looking to make the change to comply with President Donald Trump's executive orders.
Hahahaha yeaaah they wont like what i post and used to post.
Dear reader if you are curiouse, its both. Both of what you think
It’s been like that for a long time now. I remember I was filling out DS160 form in 2022 and they were asking for all of my SM handles.
Would they believe if I say I don't have Fecesbook and Xitter accounts (because I actually don't)? I'd just lie for the rest...
And if you were a criminal, you would create a false account with unicorns on it.
This is not new. I believe they've been doing this as far back as Obama (although it might have been less widespread back then).
What happens if you don’t have any mainstream social media accounts? What happens if you say you don’t have any mainstream social media accounts? What happens if you give them a the handle of a respectable “friend’s” account? How far do they go to actually verify or enforce this?
I did go through this on 2022 with no real social media presence. I just didn't add anything to that section of DS160 and got through the process with no issues
People going through US immigration (I did this maybe ~20 years ago as a student) will just make a temp, low-use account or something similar.
Doesn't make it any less wrong. They don't need it, so they shouldn't be allowed to ask.
I still say 4chan was ahead of its time. No handles, just a big mix of unknowns.
yeah look at all the wonderful things they created. ahead of its time? anonymous message boards existed way before them and freenet, as close as possible to true anonymity started way before.
It was also raw as fuck. That allowed for some very honest interactions but also introduced a shitload of trash to filter through. Then the whole political influx came in a decade ago and fully ruined it. lemmy seems like a good middle way. no senseless karma farming but also some tools to moderate.
Handles do exist, they're just optional and most channers don't use them.
they always seemed to me like a temporary way to ensure nobody creeps in when you do somethjng like exchange contact details etc..
This requirement is not new. In visa applications for visitors, you're already required to list all your social media accounts.
That's ridiculous and should be banned.
It’s not an unreasonable request. If the shoe was on the other foot I’d want to be screening every American coming to our border to check if they were active on topics like annexation or shudder cyber truck enthusiasm.
Lol. The only people who would want US visas have handles like bigballs and 14heil88trump6969.
I bet the dept that will be responsible for checking social media is too short-staffed to thoroughly vet applicants anyway because of DOGE cuts.