The United States government is reportedly planning to expand the vetting of social media accounts belonging to visa applicants, including foreign journalists, as part of President Donald Trump's broader immigration enforcement agenda.
According to reports, the proposed policy would require immigration officials to conduct more extensive reviews of applicants' online presence during the visa application process, with the aim of strengthening national security and enhancing background checks.
The expanded screening is expected to affect additional categories of visa applicants beyond those already subject to social media reviews, potentially including journalists, students, tourists, business travellers and other foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States.
U.S. authorities have argued that reviewing publicly available online activity can help identify security concerns, detect fraudulent applications and support informed visa adjudication.
The proposal has, however, drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates and press freedom organisations, who warn that broader social media screening could raise privacy concerns, discourage free expression and have implications for journalists and other applicants.
If implemented, the measure would form part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to tighten immigration procedures and strengthen border security through enhanced applicant screening.
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