YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. The Trump administration plans to require immigrants applying to come to the United States to submit five years of social media history, it announced Thursday, setting up a potential scouring of their Twitter and Facebook histories, CNN reports.

The move follows the administration's emphasis on "extreme vetting" of would-be immigrants to the US, and is an extension of efforts by the previous administration to more closely scrutinize social media after the San Bernardino terrorist attack.

According to notices submitted by the State Department on Thursday, set for formal publication on Friday, the government plans to require nearly all visa applicants to the US to submit five years of social media handles for specific platforms identified by the government -- and with an option to list handles for other platforms not explicitly required.

Federal authorities argue the moves are necessary for national security.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan