Human rights advocates expressed concern on Thursday over free speech implications following reports by Axios that the U.S State Department plans to use artificial intelligence to revoke visas of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights to free speech and assembly. Organizations advocating for free expression, such as the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and pro-Palestinian groups, argue that AI should not be used to evaluate opinions on the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict. AI tools “cannot be relied on to parse the nuances of expression about complex and contested matters like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Sarah McLaughlin, a scholar at FIRE, said to Reuters. The program known as “Catch and Revoke” uses artificial intelligence to track the social media activity and protest participation of student visa holders. According to Axios, officials are also examining news reports on anti-Israel protests and legal complaints of alleged antisemitism. The process includes reviewing tens of thousands of social media accounts, focusing on identifying students who have taken part in anti-war and pro-Palestinian demonstrations since October 7, 2023 and those who have shown support…
