zlacker

The ESTA will be a bit different, but the exact question from the US visa application is:

7. Public-facing social media platforms and identifiers/handles used during the last five years. This includes any websites or applications the applicant has used to create or share content (photos, videos, status updates, etc.) as part of a public profile.

I was advised by my lawyer that this covers Reddit and HN, and Facebook/Instagram (if I had any of those which I don't any more).

The lawyer didn't mention github however, but someone can search my name and find that in 1 click anyway, that's hardly private information.

>>rwmj+(OP)
Haven’t read up on this, but looks like if they’re looking for graphs they would include linked in profiles too...

>>mc32+m3
Yeah I guess they have a watchlist of social media accounts and look for anyone who applies with one of those accounts or is N steps away (where hopefully N <= 1, because anything else leads to madness).

>>mc32+m3
Even if you don’t post anything on LinkedIn besides your work experience, arguably, that would count as “status updates.” This would seem to include any number of dating sites and other things people don’t typically think of as “social media,” as well.

>>pmille+o4
Yes, the lawyer mentioned LinkedIn as one. She didn't mention dating websites specifically that I recall, but I agree with you it sounds like they would be covered from the definition.

>>rwmj+(OP)
Honestly I would been unable to give an accurate answer, I would certainly forget something I used in the past 5 years.

>>hannob+z5
Well another question was much worse than that one:

1. Your complete travel history over the last 15 years, including source of funding for travel, in chronological order.

I don't know anyone who would be able to answer that one accurately.

>>rwmj+h7
> I don't know anyone who would be able to answer that one accurately.

Of course, this is typical for dystopian governments. If everyone is technically guilty of a crime, and there is selective or variable enforcement, then you can justify the punishment that you want to mete out to specific people.

>>rwmj+(OP)
> a public profile

What if the profile isn't part of a person's profile? As in it has zero relation to their "real" life.

>>landco+ld
I think public in this context means viewable to the general public, whether it’s anonymous or not.

>>rwmj+H4
Dating sites would not be covered.

>>rwmj+h7
If I didn't know better, I'd think you were quoting a darkly humorous dystopian novel. Only the top few percent of obsessively organized people and the bottom few percent of infrequent travelers will ever be able to answer that question truthfully. What a farce.

>>zaroth+Yf
You have a public profile on which you can post status updates and photos. Sounds like it’s covered, to me.

>>rwmj+74
That’s my guess as well. They’re probably only looking at “bigger” sites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, WeChat, and maybe YouTube.

But, it’s the broadness of the definition that’s of concern. That forum you registered at a year ago to ask a random question, never to return? Covered. Dating sites? Yep. Stack Overflow, Quora, etc. definitely. Yelp? For sure.

Then there are sites you can probably twist the definition to cover. Amazon might make this list, since you have the ability to post a public “wish list.” Things like Rover would count, because you have a “pet profile” and can post reviews of sitters, even though nobody says Rover is a social networking app.

Then there’s the class of “sites an adversary with unlimited resources for lawyers” might press to include. You posted a comment on a random blog? We consider your comment history to be your “public profile,” etc. The potential for overreach is huge, even if we don’t get to absurd levels such as this.

>>rwmj+(OP)
I don't see how I can exclude anything but banking, hosting and PIM from this (and some PIM apps and hosting platforms have their own discussion or support forums). So the only compliant answer to that would be an export from the password database with almost all of the 800 accounts in the ‘web’ category.

And I ain't gonna research when I last used each of those accounts.

>>pmille+Ah
It’s not covered. The form lists specific social networks and asks for the usernames to those networks.

Here’s what the form actually says;

> Select from the list below each social media platform you have used within the last five years. In the space next to the platform’s name, enter the username or handle you have used on that platform. Please do not provide your passwords. If you have used more than one platform or more than one username or handle on a single platform, click the ‘Add Another’ button to list each one separately. If you have not used any of the listed social media platforms in the last five years, select ‘None.’”

Here’s a screenshot of the form:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.flyertalk.com-vbulletin/569...