US Requires Journalists and TN Visa Applicants to Open Social Media Profiles

The United States expanded its social-media vetting of visa applicants effective October 1, adding foreign journalists and media workers applying for I visas, eligible Canadian and Mexican professionals seeking TN visas, and their TD dependents. Applicants in those categories are instructed to make their social-media profiles public or open so the State Department can review them as part of security screening. The policy adds to checks already applied to several groups, including international students, exchange visitors, and H-1B workers and their dependents. The department has not specified how far back it may review applicants’ online activity or what content could affect decisions, prompting concerns about privacy and free expression; the government says the checks help assess potential risks to U.S. interests.