An updated US visa application rule has been adopted since May 31. Except for certain diplomatic and official visa applicants, all applicants for US visas must provide details on social media platforms they have used within the past five years. A total of 20 global platforms have been listed, including major ones in China.

Washington's practice has received extensive criticism. Although the US claims it a bid to strengthen security review, public opinion believes that the rule's impact will be much greater. The US State Department estimates that about 710,000 immigrant visa applicants and 14 million non-immigrant visa applicants would be affected.

The US is the first country in the world to request visa applicants' social media information. This measure will undoubtedly be a new reason for the US to reject visa application, putting additional psychological pressure on applicants. Visa applicants may be afraid if their comments on social media would displease the American visa officers, thereby increasing the risk of being rejected. This will certainly affect their use of social media, which runs counter to the US-advocated freedom of speech.

Social media accounts also concern personal privacy. Although many countries adopt real-name registration systems, one's information is kept confidential unless he/she violates the law. Some users may have registered several accounts with different names on the same platform. If such information has to be made public only for going to the US, some may feel uncomfortable and insecure due to the violation of privacy rights. Applicants are also not sure whether the US government will use their information for other purposes.

The US is the world's economic and cultural center. Setting the bar for entering the US concerns not only US sovereignty, but also many individuals' vital interests. With its great influence, the US is bound to bear greater responsibilities. If the US creates universal obstacles to the visa applicants or violates their rights, it will not only hurt visa applicants' interests, but also set negative examples, affecting the world's harmony. 

No one has ever heard of Chinese participating in terrorist activities in the US. The US requires Chinese applicants to list their social media accounts. We cannot think of anything it has to do with safeguarding national security. The US interpretation of national security is full of imagination, making people worried about Chinese applicants' normal rights being deprived.

The US has attracted global talents through its open policy and has therefore risen and developed, but today's US government is cutting down those pillars supporting the American values. Washington is complaining about the world taking advantage of the US, and is guarding against an increasing number of groups from all over the world. It is also openly defying international morality, and advertised in the American society that such practice is responsible for voters in the US. It is a tragedy for both the US and the world.

National security does require strong capabilities to implement relevant measures, but Washington should understand that increasing harmony with the outside world will have a long-term positive impact on US national security. In recent years, the US has continuously introduced policies causing complaints and even hatred, further increasing its own pressure to examine the visa applicants, obviously not a virtuous circle. Washington needs to reflect on it.