US Could Require Tourists To Submit Five Years Of Social Media History
The United States government is proposing a major change to how it screens foreign visitors, by potentially requiring them to provide five years of social media history before being allowed to enter the country.
The plan is part of a proposed update to the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which currently lets citizens from about 40 “visa‑waiver” countries (such as the UK, Germany, France, Japan and Australia) enter the US for short stays without a visa after applying online. Under the new proposal, social media information from the past five years would become a mandatory part of the ESTA application.
The broader proposal, published by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Federal Register, would also expand the personal data collected from visitors.
In addition to social media history, travellers might need to provide phone numbers used over the past five years, email addresses from the past decade, and detailed information about close family members, including birth dates and contact details. Officials say the aim is to strengthen security vetting and identify possible threats before entry, but the exact purposes of reviewing social media posts have not been fully explained.
The proposal has not yet been finalised and is currently open for public comment (typically 60 days) before any new rules take effect. Supporters argue the measure could enhance national security by giving authorities more insight into travellers’ backgrounds.
Critics, however, have raised concerns that such extensive digital screening could discourage tourism, raise privacy issues, and harm the US’s appeal as a travel destination, especially ahead of major international events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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