The U.S. State Department is employing an AI system to review the social media accounts of approximately 50,000 student visa holders. This initiative aims to identify and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who show support for Hamas or other designated terror groups. The AI-assisted effort marks a significant increase in the government’s monitoring of foreign nationals’ online activities and expressions.
Marcus Stanley
@MarcusMStanley
Β·
Mar 10 Whatever you think about Hamas or immigration this should be extremely concerning. This is the first time the U.S. government has deployed AI at scale to target U.S. residents for punitive action over speech. Dark precedent.
(AI will be used to scan visa holders social media).
The Costs of War Project
@CostsOfWar
Β·
1h The civil rights rollbacks of the post-9/11 “War on Terror” meet Silicon Valley, which is increasingly competing with old school weapons makers for Pentagon funding. https://axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamasβ¦
Nym
@nymproject
Β·
Mar 12 Make no mistake, people who commit crimes should face appropriate consequences.
But surveilling and punishing people en masse for dissenting views is a worrying precedent to set.
Protect your metadata. Protect your freedom of speech. Get #NymVPN.
@πΎππππ€@tech.lgbt in Mastodon
@ChaToX
Β·
1h US State Dept. to perform AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders’ social media accounts — to revoke visas of foreign students who appear “pro-Hamas”
Brian Ahier
@ahier
Β·
Mar 10 State Dept. to use AI to revoke visas of foreign students who have terrorist connections and are are pro-Hamas
https://axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamasβ¦
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