US says foreign students seeking visas must unlock social media accounts

AP ^ | 06/19/2025 | Associated Press

[millenial4freedom]

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that it is restarting the process for foreigners to apply for student visas but says all applicants must have their social media accounts set to ‘public’ to allow review by officials.

Consular officers will be looking for activity, posts and messages showing “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States,” the department said.

The announcement is the latest step in the Trump administration’s crackdown on international students, and the U.S. said applicants who refuse may have their applications rejected.

[millenial4freedom]

I still would prefer we just outright not allow Chinese nationals to attend our universities...what's stopping a kid with ties to the CCP from deleting any and all suspect social media posts and consequently fabricating an allegiance to American interests on these same accounts...surely Trump and Rubio can't be this naive, right??

[sgt_lau]

I fully support this policy. In fact, I’m glad to know that this administration is proactive and no longer reactive only.

[Brian Griffin]

The Chinese government can reassign identities.

[CatOwner]

The Chinese government can reassign identities.

Then tell China the tariffs go up 1% for *each* fake identity from their country that they try to push through our system.

[nopardons]

BTTT

[Brian Griffin]

I’m not likely to learn secrets as an undergraduate student.

Foreign students might be required under penalty of law to carry an identifiable cellphone if their face is hidden.

[Brian Griffin]

“Then tell China the tariffs go up 1% for *each* fake identity from their country that they try to push through our system.”

The Chinese could probably shut down a lot of US industry and commerce if they wanted to.

Amazon, Walmart and Apple all depend heavily on China for their merchandise.

[CatOwner]

Who do you think collapses first: China or the US? I bet it would be China, and I bet the US would survive.

[9YearLurker]

Exactly. We know the countries we need to keep out. This policy will probably catch zero of the 300,000 Chinese spies here on student visas.

And it’s creepy. I’m good with Internet anonymity short of dire crime.

[Brian Griffin]

We got 30 million invaders running around in the country.

Our country is run by corrupt idiots.

Let’s fix that.

[Brian Griffin]

https://nypost.com/2020/10/13/amy-coney-barrett-wept-with-family-after-george-floyd-death/

How did she ever make it past screening?

[Brian Griffin]

“Who do you think collapses first: China or the US? I bet it would be China, and I bet the US would survive.”

I’ve been to the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles recently. Sad!

[Salman]

Foolish window dressing. Have a clean official social media account and a "real" one? Zero way to police that.

Just keep them out if they are that bad.

[CatoRenasci]

Sadly, you are correct re Chinese nationals - basically no one comes here from Red China that the CCP doesn’t vet for loyalty to them. No benefit to us from them being here.

[Political Junkie Too]

In before some district court judge rules that everyone in the world has 1st amendment rights.

-PJ