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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the US to hand over personal social media profile details has been branded "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Submission for Visa Waiver Applicants

According to the proposal, visitors from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide information about social media accounts they have held in the past five years. Previously, submitting this information was optional.

"These announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "The measure creates a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."

Roots in an Previous Executive Order

The plan follows an executive order issued by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the US are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent possible."

Government Statement and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the matter. "This is not a change on this subject for those coming to the United States," the spokesperson said. "It is not a implemented policy, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the American people secure."

The representative further noted, "The department are continuously evaluating how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist incident in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 Executive Order to vet those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals applying through the ESTA program."