Tourists travelling to the USA may have to give up their mobile phones and social media passwords in new “extreme vetting” processes being proposed by Donald Trump’s White House.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration are looking at asking foreigners entering the United States to turn over their mobile phones.
Along with their social media passwords.
A senior Homeland Security official told the Wall Street Journal it was in order to “figure out who you are communicating with. What you can get on the average person’s phone can be invaluable”.
One of Trump’s campaign trail promises was the introduction of ideology testing to see if people coming to America shared Western liberal values, such as religious tolerance.
The probing ideology questions are also included in the new plans.
The same Homeland Security official told the publication the ideology questions under consideration would include whether applicants believe in honour killings, their views on the treatment of women and whom they see as legitimate targets in military attacks.
Unlike the so-called ‘Muslim ban’, these procedures would also be expanded to include foreigners trying to enter America from close allies like Australia, Britain, Germany and France.
It comes just weeks after U.S authorities have instructed airlines travelling to the US from certain nations to ban passengers from carrying electronic devices larger than a mobile phone.
This prohibition includes kindles, iPads, laptops and cameras larger than a cell phone – all of these items must be in checked luggage.
So far, Saudi Arabia’s Saudia Airlines and Royal Jordanian airlines are confirmed as affected.
