Harris concerned over US vetting of students’ social media

Tánaiste Simon Harris has raised concerns over the vetting of social media accounts belonging to Irish students planning to travel to the United States, writes Manon Gilbart for the Irish Examiner.

The US Embassy in Dublin confirmed that students applying for educational and exchange visas will now be required to allow officials to review their online activity. In a statement on Monday 23 June, the embassy said a “US visa is a privilege, not a right,” and that applicants must provide all social media usernames and handles used across any platform over the past five years, so the accounts can be reviewed.

Following the announcement, Harris said he is “very concerned” about the expanded vetting. He said he has asked officials to engage directly with the US Embassy in Dublin and with the wider US administration to provide further clarity on the new arrangements, particularly for those due to travel in the coming months.
Full report on the Irish Examiner site