US to revoke student visas over social media posts flagged by AI – report
The U.S. State Department will revoke student visas for those perceived as Hamas supporters based on AI social media analysis, raising concerns about First Amendment rights and privacy violations amid ongoing protests.
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The U.S. State Department plans to revoke student visas for foreign nationals deemed to support Hamas based on social media posts identified through artificial intelligence. This initiative follows an executive order by Donald Trump aimed at combating antisemitism, which includes deporting non-citizen students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. The AI-driven reviews will scrutinize the social media accounts of thousands of student visa holders and consider reports of protests against Israeli policies. Critics, including civil rights advocates, express concern that this approach could infringe on First Amendment rights, leading to potential misidentifications and privacy violations. The American Civil Liberties Union has urged educational institutions to resist federal pressure to surveil or penalize students for their participation in protests, emphasizing that such actions threaten free speech and academic freedom. The backdrop of this policy includes the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in significant casualties and humanitarian crises, further complicating the discourse surrounding these protests. The State Department is collaborating with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security on this initiative, but no comments have been made by these departments regarding the implications of this surveillance strategy.
- The U.S. plans to revoke visas for students perceived as Hamas supporters based on AI analysis of social media.
- Critics warn this could violate First Amendment rights and lead to privacy issues.
- The ACLU has called for universities to resist federal pressure regarding student protests.
- The initiative follows Trump's executive order against antisemitism amid ongoing protests related to the Gaza conflict.
- The policy raises concerns about the balance between national security and civil liberties.
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