First they came for the tourists . . .

[MajGenl.Meade]

Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.

The proposal says "the data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years", without giving further details of which specific information will be required. As well as the collection of social media information, the new document proposes the gathering of an applicant's telephone numbers and email addresses used over the last five and 10 years respectively, and more information about their family members.

So that's why Taff dropped Plan B - prescient fellow, ain't he?

[Burning Petard]

This place is considered social media? I thought that was stuff like X and facebook and I could honestly answer none.

snailgate.

[Bicycle Bill]

Brilliant!!   Destroy the demand/desire for foreign visitors to come see things like the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park, or the California Redwoods — among other things.   Then Trump can claim that there's no need to preserve these places and start selling them off piecemeal to the developers, the oil and mining interests, or anybody else who wants to buy a piece of what used to be protected property.

-"BB"-

[MajGenl.Meade]

This place is considered social media? I thought that was stuff like X and facebook and I could honestly answer none

You might very well think that; but I couldn't possibly comment.

Perhaps the key phrase in the OP is "without giving further details of which specific information will be required". Does one trust the Trump junta to agree with your (or anyone's) understanding of what THEY mean by "social media"?

[Burning Petard]

What do they do if I just plead the 5th? Is it legal to plead the 5th if there is nothing I could truthfully say that would incriminate me? Could that be impeding a federal investigation? Oh what a tangled web we weave.

snailgate.

[Bicycle Bill]

What do they do if I just plead the 5th? Is it legal to plead the 5th if there is nothing I could truthfully say that would incriminate me? Could that be impeding a federal investigation? Oh what a tangled web we weave.

snailgate.

But this isn't about Amerericans ... it's about foreigners being allowed to come into the country.   And the GOP/MAGA has already claimed that protections under the Constitution do not apply to non-citizens (they said 'illegal immigrants', but you know what they meant... anyone who ain't a white redneck racist like themselves) when they 1) attempted to eliminate the concept of birthright citizenship and 2) turned gangs of masked paramilitary ICE thugs loose to apprehend, detain, and deport any non-citizen — even ones currently engaged in the prescribed process to become a naturalized citizen — seemingly at random and without due process.

-"BB"-

[ex-khobar Andy]

I've already had a note from a friend in UK to say she will never come to see me because of the social media thing. Of course there could be other reasons . . .