National Intelligence Director James Clapper has signed a new policy that allows federal background investigators to use publicly-accessible social media information as an investigative tool in the security clearance process.ODNI said Friday the Security Executive Agent Directive Five also restricts the federal government from pursuing the private social media information of clearance holders and applicants unless it is a criminal reporting requirement or considered a national security concern.
The directive also prohibits investigators from requesting or requiring individuals’ social media passwords and taking any action that would reveal non-publicly available social media information, ODNI added.
Investigators are not required to incorporate public social media information in the vetting process but will be permitted to do so if determined appropriate by an agency head.
