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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the US to disclose their social media account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Travelers

Under the plan, tourists from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide information about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, submitting this information was optional.

"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No football fan gives up those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "This policy creates a climate of fear of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."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 guarantee that all aliens wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the United States," the official stated. "It is not a final rule, it is simply the initial phase in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the public safe."

The spokesperson added, "We are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the recent incident in Washington DC. This new proposal is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order to vet those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by enabling CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."