Former President Trump's Proposed Plan for World Cup Tourists to Disclose Social Media Histories Labeled as 'Alarming'
A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the United States to hand over personal online account information has been branded "deeply troubling."
Mandatory Disclosure for ESTA Applicants
Under the plan, tourists from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide details about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, submitting 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 universal human rights. No football fan gives up those rights just because they enter a country."
He added, "The measure introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is supposed to embody and it must be withdrawn immediately."
Roots in an Earlier Executive Order
The plan follows an presidential directive signed by former President Trump in early 2025 that aims "to guarantee that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."
Official Statement and Reasoning
A spokesperson for the border agency offered context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the United States," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the public safe."
The representative further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the recent attack in Washington DC. The measure is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals applying through the ESTA program."
