[International] US Media: US Expands Social Media Review for Visa Applicants, Including Foreign Journalists

US media reported on the 6th that the US Department of State is expanding its social media review requirements to include applicants for more visa types, including representatives of foreign media. In response, a spokesperson for the Department of State told a Central News Agency reporter that they are continuously evaluating review procedures to ensure that the visa process meets the highest standards of US national security. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House early last year, he has not only sought to advance tough immigration policies but also adopted stricter measures for issuing visas, including strengthening social media reviews and expanding screening measures. The conservative US news website Daily Signal exclusively reported on the 6th that, according to an internal memo it obtained, the US Department of State is expanding its social media review requirements to include applicants for more visa types. In June last year, the Department of State announced that student visa applicants with private social media accounts would be required to make their accounts public for review. Currently, in addition to student and exchange visitor visas, social media reviews also apply to applicants for visa types such as professional workers, trainees, participants in international cultural exchange programs, and religious workers. Daily Signal reported that the Department of State's new regulations will apply to foreign media representatives, as well as Mexican and Canadian citizens and their dependents entering the US for business activities under the "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement" (USMCA). According to the report, all applicants are required to set their social media accounts to "public" or "open." In response, a spokesperson for the Department of State replied in a background capacity to a Central News Agency reporter, stating that they do not comment on alleged internal documents, but the Trump administration is maintaining the highest standards of US national security and public safety through the visa process. The spokesperson pointed out that the Department of State screens and reviews every foreign national seeking to enter the US to the greatest extent possible to ensure they comply with US laws and do not pose a threat to US security, public safety, or national interests. The spokesperson stated that the Department of State is continuously reviewing and evaluating its review procedures "to ensure that our visa process meets the highest standards of US national security and public safety." The purpose of social media review is to allow "applicants to demonstrate their eligibility for a visa under US law" and to ensure that no individual poses a risk to US security. (Editor: Chung Chin-lung)