1 day ago
Last Updated:May 28, 2025, 23:13 IST
Marco Rubio said that it is "unacceptable" for foreign officials to attempt to "censor" Americans by threatening them with arrest warrants or other punitive actions.
The United States is introducing a new visa ban rule for those who "censor" Americans.
The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy for the foreign nationals who who “censor" Americans on social media platforms.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the new rules would be applicable on foreign officials and individuals who are “complicit in censoring Americans", including those involved in fining, harassing, or criminally charging US citizens for expressing their views overseas.
He suggested that the new policy could target officials regulating US tech companies.
Calling it “unacceptable," Rubio asserted that foreign officials must not attempt to “censor" Americans by threatening them with arrest warrants or other penalties abroad. He further said that visa bans would be imposed against foreign officials who demand content removal or moderation on US tech platforms.
“It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil. It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States," the press statement released by Rubio’s office stated.
The Donald Trump administration has frequently depicted social media content moderation policies as a form of censorship targeting conservatives, and has criticised foreign governments that encourage such policies.
“Even as we take action to reject censorship at home, we see troubling instances of foreign governments and foreign officials picking up the slack," Rubio said. “In some instances, foreign officials have taken flagrant censorship actions against US tech companies and US citizens and residents when they have no authority to do so," he added.
While the state department did not name any specific countries or individuals who might be affected by the new policy, Rubio made it clear the administration is taking a harder line.
“Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country," he said.
Rubio’s announcement comes as the administration continues a crackdown on international students involved in pro-Palestine protests at US universities, along with efforts to impose greater control over university curricula that the administration takes issue with.
Earlier it was reported that State Department was planning to issue an updated guidance on social media vetting for all student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants to scrutinize applicants’ online activity and thereby assess their eligibility for entry.
It said that the officials would review social media profiles for content that could deem them inadmissible and posts- like the ones on terrorism and antisemitism- could trigger intensified scrutiny.
The White House had earlier implemented some social media screening, primarily for returning students but the mandate now applies to all new applicants. Students with already scheduled interviews will proceed under current guidelines, but new appointments will not be added until further guidance is issued.
(With inputs from agencies)
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world US Imposes Visa Restrictions On Foreigners Who 'Censor' Americans On Social Media
