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The story so far: Foreign students hoping to study in the U.S. may soon face increased scrutiny as the Trump administration is considering taking measures to collect more information from the social media accounts of foreign student visa applicants.

Ahead of these changes, reports emerged that the scheduling of student visa interviews have been put on hold as officials worldwide await further guidance. This triggered panic among students worried that their education in the U.S. could be delayed or blocked.

What is the new social media vetting rule for U.S. visa applicants?

The U.S. Department of State defines a social media identifier/handle as “any name used by the individual on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.”

A cable in late May that was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and shared by the Politico outlet, ordered a temporary halt to scheduling visa appointments.

“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days,” Mr. Rubio’s cable quoted by Politico stated, referring to telegram guidance that would be issued separately.

The collection of visa applicants’ social media handles is not a new measure. The U.S. Department of State noted that it updated its non-immigrant visa online application form (DS-160), the paper back-up version of the non-immigrant visa application (DS-156), and the online immigrant visa application form (DS-260), to collect applicants’ social media identifiers. The changes were implemented from May 2019, citing U.S. national security as a top priority.

However, Mr. Rubio’s latest cable suggests closer scrutiny of visa applicants’ social media posts in the future, and especially if they are foreign students. Foreign visa applicants heading to Harvard University may also face this treatment.

Why does the Trump administration want to vet social media handles?

The new updates come as the U.S. government seeks to clamp down on American universities where students are participating in anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian protests.

Because Israel is a U.S. ally, the administration has deemed many anti-Israel demonstrations and forms of protest to be a form of antisemitism (anti-Jewish bigotry) aimed at Jewish Americans, rather than a form of anti-Zionism (opposition to Israel’s statehood and violence against Palestinians). Many pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses have been termed as Hamas supporters by conservative Americans.

A White House factsheet published this January saw Trump stating, “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

The U.S. Department of State’s ‘Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application’ (DS-160) form has a sub-section dedicated to the applicant’s various social media handles that they can choose from a menu.

A screenshot shows how certain visa applicants are asked to list their social media handles
| Photo Credit:
U.S. Department of State website

There is a separate section for other platforms/websites that the applicants wish to flag or identify independently.

Visa applicants are also allowed to volunteer other social media handles and websites
| Photo Credit:
U.S. Department of State website

The social media platforms already mentioned on the DS-160 form include names such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as Chinese options such as Douban, Qzone, Weibo, and others. VKontakte is a Russian social media platform. The Trump-endorsed Truth Social, however, is not on this list. Vine, meanwhile, has shut down.

Visa applicants are being asked to provide social media handles they have used in the past five years.

One point of focus appears to be Chinese immigration. In a recent press statement titled, ‘New Visa Policies Put America First, Not China,’ Mr. Rubio confirmed that government bodies would start “aggressively” revoking visas belonging to Chinese students, “including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”

What can foreign students do to safeguard their visa application?

First and foremost, carry out a social media audit of your own. This means making a list of all your accounts to make sure no key platforms are left out. Delete — not deactivate — inactive accounts or nearly forgotten handles you have not accessed in more than five years, to avoid confusion. Carry out this step as early as you can, because some social media companies keep even deleted accounts visible for 30-90 days to prevent fraudulent activity.

Next, compile a list of core social media identifiers — your existing usernames/handles — that you will submit as part of your visa application. Never share your passwords with others.

You can then choose whether to lock your social media accounts or not. While it might be natural for minors, privacy-minded users, or non-professional visa applicants to have private accounts, it will arouse suspicion if a major influencer or public figure with thousands of followers suddenly locks their official account before their visa application. Make the choice that fits your privacy requirements.

Whether your accounts are public or private, be sure to vet your own social media content. Be on the lookout for content you posted in the past that is outdated, inaccurate, offensive, abusive, or glorifies criminal activity even as a joke. Also check your replies, ‘likes’, and uploaded media for any content that could hurt your visa application. Take note of accounts you follow or interact with to ensure that they are in compliance with international laws.

You may also want to check content that does not strictly count as social media activity, such as your YouTube comment history.

You may feel strongly about potentially taking down content related to social causes that are important to your heart. Make an informed choice that aligns with your personal position.

Foreign students hoping to obtain a visa to study in the U.S. should stay in touch with their universities and international admissions officers in order to learn the latest updates.

NEW DELHI: Foreign portfolio investments in Indian markets reached record levels in May 2025, as confirmed by National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) statistics, quoted by ANI. The month recorded net FPI inflows of Rs 19,860 crore, establishing May as the strongest month for foreign investments in 2025.The period from May 26 to May 30 saw foreign investors maintain their investment momentum with net inflows of Rs 6,024.77 crore. While positive inflows characterised most trading days that week, Friday registered a net outflow of Rs 1,758.23 crore.Although May demonstrated robust performance, the cumulative FPI investment for 2025 remains negative. The period from January through May shows net outflows of Rs 92,491 crore. Nevertheless, the substantial May inflows suggest a possible shift in foreign investor confidence.The uptick in FPI activity correlates with the declining US dollar value and positive developments in the Indian stock market.The robust economic foundations of India continue drawing international investors, although FPI flows remain responsive to international circumstances and external challenges.Whilst the year commenced cautiously, the positive May figures might indicate a directional change, provided global conditions maintain stability.Earlier data indicated FPI stock sales of Rs 3,973 crore in March. January and February witnessed equity sales of Rs 78,027 crore and Rs 34,574 crore, respectively.The final trading day of May saw the Indian stock market close marginally lower, influenced by varied global indicators. The Sensex decreased by 182 points (0.22 per cent) to 81,451.01, whilst the Nifty 50 settled at 24,750.70, down 83 points (0.33 per cent).

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Sequoia Capital is hoping to cash in on rising global demand for art house cinema after leading a $100mn investment in Mubi that values the indie streaming service at $1bn, marking a rare foray into film and media for the Silicon Valley venture capital firm.

The cash from Sequoia, best known for its early bets on high-growth tech companies including Google, Apple and YouTube, will help Mubi build out its global distribution network and invest in new films.

The fundraising marks a vote of confidence for the 18-year-old company, which has recently undergone a big transformation from niche indie streamer to Hollywood player.

Andrew Reed, a partner at Sequoia who led the investment, said the firm was banking on untapped global demand for highbrow films, including those being bankrolled by Mubi.

“We’re a Silicon Valley investor, so the question is, how many people around the world will projects like this resonate with? Our opinion is that this is going to resonate with a lot more people than anybody thinks.”

The Sequoia deal gives London-based Mubi financial firepower when the broader movie industry — a risky business at the best of times — is reeling from the disruptive effects of the streaming revolution. It also follows a series of big swings by Mubi, which this month beat out Apple and Netflix to acquire the rights to Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love starring Jennifer Lawrence for $24mn, in the biggest deal to come out of the Cannes Film Festival.

Mubi’s streaming service features a wide range of international films from Latin America, Europe and Asia alongside American indies. It has about 20mn registered users worldwide, with US subscribers paying $14.99 a month, but also distributes independent films in cinemas in the UK, US, Canada, Latin America, Germany and, starting this year, Italy. It now has offices in 15 countries with more than 400 employees.

“Mubi is high-growth and profitable, and in the film business that’s an impossibly rare combination,” said Reed.

The company established itself as a serious player in Hollywood last year following founder Efe Cakarel’s big bet on The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, which he bought for $12mn and went on to earn $84mn at the box office.

The Substance won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Bafta. “We took this body-horror film from a director that no one ever heard of and made it a cultural global phenomenon because of word of mouth,” Cakarel told the Financial Times.

Cakarel said he was not aiming to challenge Netflix or Apple, despite recent successes. “We are not really competing with them — we have a completely different business,” he said, adding that Mubi’s goal was to “elevate great cinema, both classic and contemporary”.

The company is planning more cinematic releases this year, including its first original film — director Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind — as well as Paolo Sorrentino’s Grace and Jim Jarmusch’s Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.

Despite a sagging overall box office, Cakarel said he believed there was a healthy global audience for such films, noting that seven of the nominees for the Best Picture Oscar this year were indies, including the winner, Aoralong with The Brutalist and The Substance.

“If you look at the box office for speciality films, it is growing year over year, very substantially. You look at the biggest 200 films over the past three years in the box office, 69 of them [were] speciality films. So we are not talking about some small niche here.”

Sequoia joins other outside investors in Mubi, including Summit Partners and Chinese billionaire Zhang Xin, who invested in the company last year through her New York-based film company Closer Media. She also sits on the company’s board.

An ergonomic mouse has always been intimidating – adjusting to the shape and size has kept me from taking the plunge, even if wrist pain is my middle name and I know it’d be “good” for me. However, the Keychron M5 ergonomic mouse may have just turned me into a convert for this function and form. While the verticality of the M5 matches what you’d expect from many of the ergonomic mice on the market, its specs compete with any top-of-the-line gaming mouse. With an 8,000Hz polling rate, a 30,000 DPI sensor, and PTFE feet for easy gliding across surfaces, Keychron bridges the gap between ergonomic design and high-end gaming specs. But does this mashup make a meaningful difference in the experience? The answer is complex.

Keychron M5 – Design and Features

The M5 ergonomic mouse has five buttons and two scroll wheels that can be independently programmed using the Keychron Launcher app. The primary button surface is tilted over at a 47° angle and that’s how it’s able to provide optimal ergonomic comfort according to Keychron. And after using it for a couple of weeks, I can vouch for that assertion.

Keychron M5 – Photos