The news about the cancellation of many H-1B and H-4 visa appointments, as new social media reviews kick in, brings a sharp focus to something I've pondered for years: the inescapable reality of our digital existence. As reported by Lubna Kably (lubna.kably@timesgroup.com) in The Times of India, this new layer of scrutiny means that our online activities are no longer just personal expressions but potential determinants of our professional and personal futures across borders. It highlights a profound shift in how our identities are perceived and judged in the modern world.
I recall discussing this very concept, this erosion of what we once held as 'private,' as far back as 2017. In my blog, "Privacy does not live here!" [http://emailothers.blogspot.com/2017/07/re-for-attn-shri-sadanand-gowdaji_25.html], and again in "Seeing AI through Google Glass?" [https://myblogepage.blogspot.in/2017/07/supreme-may-propose-technology-will.html], I argued that technology's relentless march meant that personal information would inevitably become public domain. I even pondered the Supreme Court's debate on the Right to Privacy, noting Justice Chandrachud's query: "If people have put themselves in the public realm using technology, is that not a surrender of their right to privacy?" Senior advocate Shyam Divan spoke of "informational self-determination," a desire to control what we put forth, but even then, I foresaw the difficulties.
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic years ago. I had already predicted this outcome or challenge, where the lines between public and private blur, and our digital activities become a dossier for official review. In my reflections, I often spoke of an "Information Chain Reaction," where content keeps growing and cannot be destroyed [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2020/08/anant-without-end-anadi-without.html]. I also emphasized that "Everything You Do" would get recorded, stored, searched, morphed, and even sold, primarily to manipulate us, sometimes for good, sometimes for ill [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/05/aadhar-dataprotectionlaw-privacy.html]. Now, seeing how things have unfolded with visa appointments being canceled due to social media reviews, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
This isn't just about immigration; it's about the very fabric of how we navigate a hyper-connected world. Our digital personas, meticulously crafted or inadvertently exposed, are now an extension of our physical selves, subject to scrutiny and judgment for everything from job applications to international travel. The tools of surveillance, whether explicit government policies or subtle algorithmic analyses, are constantly evolving, pushing the boundaries of what privacy means. The world I envisioned, where we are "Watched / Measured / Imaged / Listened to / Analyzed / Administered / Governed" every second [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/07/privacy-parish-thought.html], is increasingly upon us.
We must come to terms with the fact that our online interactions are permanent and consequential. As much as we may wish for a world where our social media presence is separate from our professional aspirations, the reality is that the two are now inextricably linked. It is a new frontier where digital wisdom and caution are no longer optional but essential for global mobility and opportunity.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
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