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A newly proposed requirement for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the US to hand over personal online account information has been branded "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

According to the proposal, tourists from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be required to provide information about social media accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Previously, providing this data was voluntary.

"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are fundamental rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "The measure introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is meant to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."

Origins in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an presidential directive issued by Donald Trump in January that aims "to ensure that all aliens seeking admission the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A representative for the border agency provided context on the issue. "This is not a change on this subject for those traveling to the country," the spokesperson stated. "This is not a implemented policy, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the public safe."

The representative added, "The department are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in the capital. The measure is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to collect additional information from foreign nationals using the ESTA program."