Groups oppose US plan to collect social media info from visitors

Civil liberties and tech advocacy groups have opposed a move by the Department of Homeland Security to collect social media information from certain categories of visitors to the U.S.

“This program would invade individual privacy and imperil freedom of expression while being ineffective and prohibitively expensive to implement and maintain,” wrote organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Democracy & Technology and Electronic Frontier Foundation in comments to the Department of Homeland Security on Monday.

The provision allows for collection of information on their online presence from certain categories of visitors in their visa-waiver arrival/departure records (Form I-94W) and their online application for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

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