Foreign students in US must keep social media profiles public for duration of visa, says US Embassy
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New Delhi: All international students seeking to study in the United States must keep their social media profiles public not just while applying for a visa but also during their entire study course, The Indian Express reported on Sunday.
“All student and exchange visitor visa applicants (F, M and J visa classes) are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of personal social media profiles to ‘public’ in order to facilitate vetting necessary to establish the applicant’s admissibility to the United States,” the newspaper quoted a US Embassy spokesperson in New Delhi as saying.
The spokesperson mentioned that the vetting process goes on from the time of the application, through the adjudication of the visa and during the validity of the visa.
The U.S. Department of State had stated that, under newly established norms for handling student visa applications, the government will carry out a “comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence,” of all student and exchange visitor applicants.
Under the new norms, consular officers have been instructed to scrutinise visa applications to identify individuals who may “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles,” according to a report by Reuters.
An internal State Department cable, reviewed by the news agency, emphasised that the vetting process should go beyond just social media activity. Officers are asked to examine the applicant’s entire online presence using “appropriate search engines or other online resources."
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Op Sindoor paused as politico-military objective achieved; no pressure to stop: Rajnath in LS
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said in the Lok Sabha that Operation Sindoor was "paused" as the armed forces had achieved the desired politico-military objectives and asserted that there was "no pressure" to end it.
If Pakistan indulges in fresh misadventure, it will resume again, the minister said in his opening remarks on the special debate on Pahalgam terror strikes and Operation Sindoor in the lower house.
He said the armed forces are ever vigilant to defend India's borders and the military operation was an effective and well-coordinated strike against nine terror sites.
Seven terror camps were fully destroyed and India has proof of the damage incurred inside PoK and Pakistan, Singh told the House.
The entire operation was over in 22 minutes and the Pahalgam killings were avenged. The attacks, he asserted, were non-escalatory in nature.
"Before executing Operation Sindoor, our forces studied every aspect and chose the option that would cause maximum damage to terrorists while ensuring no harm to innocent civilians," Singh said.
He underlined that to say or believe that Operation Sindoor was stopped under any pressure is baseless and completely incorrect.
It was the director general of Pakistan's director general of military operation who requested his Indian counterpart to end the strikes.
Singh's statement comes against the backdrop of US President Donald TRump's 'ceasefire' claims.
The minister said the objective was not to cross borders or take over territory but to target terrorist camps, their supporters and to destroy them. He asserted that no innocent civilian was targeted in the military strikes.
Pakistan could not hit our targets and there was no damage to any of our important assets, he noted. He pointed out that India managed to get proof of the damages incurred in PoK and Pakistan.
"Operation Sindoor symbol of our strength... demonstrated that India will not remain silent if anyone harms its citizens," Singh said.
India first extends hand of friendship, but it also knows how to twist the wrist if any country betrays it, he said.
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