#DigitalRights

A growing wave of international students aims to study in the United States are cleaning up their social media presence. Fears of stricter online scrutiny under intensified US visa policies are driving self-censorship from Africa to the Caribbean, highlighting concerns about privacy and free expression in an era of digital surveillance.

For many in Thailand and around the world, an American degree signals access to premier education, career opportunities, and broader social mobility. In 2023, thousands of Thai students pursued US study programs, reflecting strong international interest. Data from leading educational agencies indicates that Thai applicants now feel heightened pressure to curate online personas long before any campus interview. The latest cohort faces uncertainty not only about admissions but also about Facebook posts, tweets, or memes from years past.

A growing wave of international students vying to study in the United States are sanitizing their social media presence, fearing stricter scrutiny under freshly intensified US visa vetting policies. The phenomenon, increasingly visible among young people from Africa to the Caribbean, exposes not only new anxieties about digital footprints but also broader concerns about free expression and privacy in the age of algorithmic surveillance.

For many around the world, an American degree represents access to coveted educational, professional, and economic opportunities. In 2024, nearly 20,000 Nigerian students headed to US colleges, more than any other African nation, while the US consistently receives tens of thousands from China and India annually (scroll.in). But for the latest cohort, aspiring scholars like the Nigerian student identified as “Owolabi” are racked with uncertainty, not just about university offers, but about old Facebook posts, Twitter jokes, or even the memes they once shared.