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A recently unveiled requirement for World Cup fans traveling to the United States to hand over personal social media account information has been branded "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Disclosure for ESTA Travelers

According to the proposal, tourists from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to provide information about online accounts they have held in the past five years. Until now, submitting this data was voluntary.

"The US government's proposed measures are deeply concerning," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No supporter gives up those rights just because they enter a country."

He added, "The measure introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Previous Presidential Directive

The plan follows an presidential directive issued by former President Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the matter. "This is not a change on this subject for those traveling to the United States," the spokesperson stated. "This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have additional measures to keep the American people secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, especially after the recent attack in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to vet those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals using the visa waiver programme."