As of last week, under a new, expanded State Department policy, almost all visa applicants to the United States are required to disclose all the social media usernames, email addresses and phone numbers they’ve used in the past five years.
Previously, only a selection of visa applicants had been required to submit this information. Under the expanded policy, however, applicants for certain diplomatic and official visas will be the only people who are exempt. This “basically everyone” requirement presumably sets a baseline — if everyone has to do it, then no one is being targeted.
This expanded policy touches on many, many significant issues, but my mind immediately goes to sex workers in various occupations.
As such, immediate questions include: What if you use social media for a brand? Like, not as your legal name but under a pseudonym? Also, what if you manage social media accounts for others? Like, what if you are the person who writes tweets for XXX Brand, regardless if you are the one who actually posts them?
Also, does this mean *all* email addresses you’ve used during the past five years? What about cancelled or purged ones, like when you graduate from college or change jobs and that address gets purged?
The new policy was described by APNews as a “vast expansion” of the government’s screening process and will impact an expected 15 million applicants. Immigration advocates have said the expansion may infringe on people’s privacy and First Amendment rights.
“We already request certain contact information, travel history, family member information, and previous addresses from all visa applicants,” the State department said in a statement per The New York Times. “We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States.”
Adult industry community members outside the US looking to travel for work: Be aware of this policy. It is relevant and could potentially be very problematic. As we know, when it comes to sex work, all rules subject and all consistency is essentially gone.
Image via Jaxson Bryden from Pexels.
