If you criticise ICE online Homeland Security may have asked social media platforms for your identity

The US Department of Homeland Security has reportedly requested that social media platforms provide them with information on ICE-critical accounts and people are highly concerned.

In a move that is not going to do anything to combat the “authoritarianism” allegations, recent reports suggest that DHS has ordered tech giants Meta (which owns Instagram and Facebook), Google, Reddit and Discord to hand over information of users critical of, or monitoring the activity of, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement department.

ICE has come under huge criticism for its operation in Minneapolis, during which two 37-year-old US citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by ICE agents in the street.

According to the New York Times, “legal requests for the names, email addresses, telephone numbers and other identifying data” have been made by the DHS in the form of administrative subpoenas, for the individuals behind social media accounts “that track or criticize the agency”.

The news left people angered, but unsurprised. Many pointed out the huge disparity in what the Trump administration appears to be prioritising.

“Not a single person implicated in the Epstein files is facing criminal charges, but DHS has subpoenaed the personal information of U.S. citizens that criticize ICE.

“Dismantle the Orwellian surveillance state,” someone argued.

Someone else mocked: “Wow it sure isn’t dystopian and scary at all the government wants a list of everyone who’s criticized them online. That’s definitely very patriotic and free speech of them.”

“This is fascism by definition btw,” one person argued.

According to a Google spokesperson who responded to the NYT, “When we receive a subpoena, our review process is designed to protect user privacy while meeting our legal obligations”.

They continued: “We inform users when their accounts have been subpoenaed, unless under legal order not to or in an exceptional circumstance. We review every legal demand and push back against those that are overbroad.”

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