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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament fans journeying to the US to hand over personal social media account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Disclosure for ESTA Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from 42 countries—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide information about online accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Until now, submitting this information was optional.

"These announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No supporter gives up those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "This policy creates a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is supposed to embody and it must be rescinded at once."

Roots in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal stems from an executive order issued by Donald Trump in January that aims "to guarantee that all aliens wishing to enter the US are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent 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 coming to the United States," the spokesperson said. "It is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in starting a discussion to have new policy options to protect the public safe."

The spokesperson further noted, "The department are constantly looking at how we screen those entering the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to vet those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to collect further data from non-US citizens using the visa waiver programme."