Coalition Urges DHS' Kelly to Reject Proposal for Foreign Travelers' Social Media Access
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was urged by 44 civil liberties, media and privacy organizations to reject a proposal that would require foreign visitors to provide access to social media accounts as a condition for U.S. entry (see 1702210007). Led…
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by the Center for Democracy & Technology, the coalition sent a letter Friday saying "intensive examination" of travelers' online information could jeopardize U.S. security, is "deeply invasive" and discriminatory, and won't yield any useful information. The groups said foreign governments similarly could demand passwords from U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Any compromised credentials would not only risk people's online security, but also would chill people's freedom of expression, religion and association, the letter said. It added that probing foreign visitors' accounts could expose Americans, who are part of the travelers' social networks, to scrutiny. CDT President Nuala O'Connor in a blog post said she sent the letter and a previous statement -- now signed by 145 associations and experts -- which objected to the proposal shortly after Kelly acknowledged at a hearing it was being considered. The Department of Homeland Security declined comment.