Homeland Security Want to Collect Immigrants’ Social Media Information, But Privacy Groups Are Fighting Back

Privacy and freedom of expression groups have slammed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to monitor and collect social media information on all immigrants to the United States.

The department published a new rule under the Privacy Act of 1974 in the Federal Register last week, detailing how it intends to expand the information it collects when determining a person’s immigration status to include social media handles and potentially even search histories.

The new requirement, first reported by BuzzFeed News, is due to take effect on October 18—the same day that immigration restrictions pronounced on Sunday by President Donald Trump on citizens of eight countries come into force.

http://www.newsweek.com/social-media-monitoring-trump-social-media-homeland-security-672085