Counselors working with foreign students eager to attend college in the United States are advised to clear their social media accounts to attract attention from U.S. State Department officials.
“Any new students, especially international students without a U.S. passport – we will work with them through their social media and talk to them about what they say in Snapchat, in group chat.” “Because, if this information is somehow radical or anti-American, it won’t help them.”
Focus on international students' online profiles follow new push from the Trump administration Censoring social media Account as part of the student visa application evaluation process. The State Department said in a cable that was acquired by CBS News on May 27 and was prepared to expand social media screening and censorship. The agency did not specify exactly the type of content to look for.
"President Trump will always put Americans' safety first, a privilege to learn in the United States, not a right," White House spokesman Anna Kelly said in a statement. "Enhanced social media censorship is a common sense measure that will help ensure that our country's guests do not intend to harm Americans, which is the focus of national security."
The new censorship measures, based on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ April statement, announced that the agency will consider “anti-Semitic activities on social media” as “reason for rejecting immigration benefits requests.”
Advisors for international students who are suitable for applying to American schools told CBS MoneyWatch that they are reluctant to delete their social media accounts directly. But they urged students to eliminate posts on political topics, especially if they were related to controversial topics such as the war in Gaza and Ukraine. Ivywise also encourages foreign students to repost any information they have not verified yet, as this may be inaccurate.
“We don’t think students should delete their social media accounts completely,” Cohen said. “But we do need to make sure we go through their social media accounts with them to make sure they show themselves in the best light.”
Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International University Adler, also advises students to phase out potentially controversial posts, including any viewpoint or content related to politics.
"I'm not saying they have to get rid of the whole thing completely, but they'll certainly delete any political posts," Adler told CBS MoneyWatch. "It's an easy way for kids to protect themselves."
Sasha Chada, who has led the Ivy Scholars in Texas for more than a decade, said that asking students to remove social media would be a “five orders” given the platform’s deep-rooted roots in their lives. For example, according to data from social media management platform Sprout Social, for example, among people aged 18 to 24, the global share of Instagram users is 32%.
Some critics believe that the State Council's review of social accounts for international students will curb their freedom of speech.
“While social media review of visa applicants is nothing new, if the administration 'expands scrutinizes' political views, it will surely scare some possible applicants to silence themselves any topic contradicts the views of President Trump or his successors,” Robert Shibley is a special advisor to individual rights and expressions that promote individual rights and expressions at university camps.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment from CBS MoneyWatch. “We have a very serious look at who is entering the country and we will continue to do that,” State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce told reporters this week.
Mahsa Khanbabai, an immigration attorney based in Massachusetts, said his company assists with student visas said she has spoken with dozens of foreign students, both overseas and the United States, some of whom decided to delete their social media accounts or delete their social media accounts from public places in search of protection.
She said students are concerned not only with posts about political flashpoints like Gaza, but also with their personal views on topics such as climate change and reproductive rights advocacy. Khanbabai’s latest consultation with foreign students focused on helping them determine the strong feelings of promoting their perspectives and gain some understanding of potential trade-offs when deciding to post or not.
“I meet with students and ask them, ‘Are you willing to suspend participation on social media to achieve long-term goals like your career and education, knowing that you may end up sacrificing some moral or ethical values?” she said?