Fact Check: "At borders People Are Getting their fb posts checked to see what they think of trump"
What We Know
Recent reports indicate that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has increased scrutiny of travelers' electronic devices, including social media accounts, at border crossings. According to USA Today, while these searches are claimed to be rare, they are reportedly becoming more common. Visa applicants are required to make their social media accounts public, while U.S. citizens and lawful residents can choose to keep their accounts private or delete apps before crossing the border.
Legal experts have raised concerns about the implications of this practice, suggesting it could lead to a "chilling effect on freedom of expression" as travelers worry that their online opinions could impact their ability to enter the U.S. Esha Bhandari, deputy director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, noted that some travelers have been questioned about their social media content, indicating that there may be instances where social media posts are reviewed prior to border crossings.
Additionally, there have been anecdotal reports of travelers being stopped and questioned based on their social media activity, including critical comments about former President Trump. For example, a French researcher was barred from entering the U.S. after agents cited messages criticizing Trump as a reason for their decision (Newsweek).
Analysis
The claim that border agents are checking social media posts to assess travelers' opinions about Trump is partially substantiated by the evidence available. While CBP has not confirmed a formal policy linking political views to admissibility, there are reports of travelers being questioned about their anti-Trump posts. This suggests that while there may not be an official directive, the practice of scrutinizing social media for political content does occur in some cases (MSN).
However, the reliability of the sources varies. For instance, the ACLU and USA Today provide credible insights into the practices of CBP and the implications for travelers, while anecdotal evidence from individual cases may not represent a widespread policy. Furthermore, the lack of official acknowledgment from CBP regarding the use of social media checks specifically for political views raises questions about the consistency and transparency of such practices.
Overall, while there is evidence that social media scrutiny occurs at the border, the extent to which it is systematically applied based on political opinions remains unclear.
Conclusion
The claim that "at borders people are getting their Facebook posts checked to see what they think of Trump" is Partially True. There is evidence that CBP is increasingly scrutinizing social media accounts at border crossings, and there have been instances where travelers have faced questioning based on their online opinions. However, the lack of an official policy linking political views to admissibility means that this practice may not be uniformly applied.
Sources
- A look at false and misleading claims made by Trump ...
- Can border agents check your social media? What to know ...
- Border Patrol checking US visitors' phones, social media: Is ...
- Fact-checking the Trump White House's claims about ...
- Spoke Out Against Trump? You Might Get Stopped at the U.S. Border
- Latest False Fact-checks on Donald Trump
