On October 18th, the USDHS will begin tracking (aka keeping a permanent record of) some new information on US Immigration applicants, US Immigrants (Green Card holders), naturalized US citizens and anyone who interacts with them.
This information will include "social media handles, aliases, associated identifiable information, and search results", along with details from "publicly available information obtained from the internet, public records, public institutions, interviewees, commercial data providers, and information obtained and disclosed pursuant to information sharing agreements"
I don't think I need to tell anyone how to feel about this, but if you do "feel", then you should know that the federal register is accepting formal comments until October 18, 2017.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/09/18/2017-19365/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records
[Update: Oct 10 2017: So I finally got around to trying to slog through the 40 pages mind numbing references to other regulations and it is not at all clear from the language in the federal register, but a charitable reading suggests that — at least for Naturalized citizens and Green Card holders — they just keep/consolidate previously collected information.
By about halfway my brain was melting and it occurred to me to check for updates on the original articles. Sure enough Gizmodo got a response from DHS, though their claim that this just discloses policy that dates back to 2012 is hardly something that supports a charitable reading.]
More:
Gizmodo [Update Sept 28, 2017]
Buzzfeed
This information will include "social media handles, aliases, associated identifiable information, and search results", along with details from "publicly available information obtained from the internet, public records, public institutions, interviewees, commercial data providers, and information obtained and disclosed pursuant to information sharing agreements"
I don't think I need to tell anyone how to feel about this, but if you do "feel", then you should know that the federal register is accepting formal comments until October 18, 2017.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/09/18/2017-19365/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records
[Update: Oct 10 2017: So I finally got around to trying to slog through the 40 pages mind numbing references to other regulations and it is not at all clear from the language in the federal register, but a charitable reading suggests that — at least for Naturalized citizens and Green Card holders — they just keep/consolidate previously collected information.
By about halfway my brain was melting and it occurred to me to check for updates on the original articles. Sure enough Gizmodo got a response from DHS, though their claim that this just discloses policy that dates back to 2012 is hardly something that supports a charitable reading.]
More:
Gizmodo [Update Sept 28, 2017]
Buzzfeed
