🔗 Share this article

A newly proposed mandate for World Cup supporters traveling to the US to hand over their online account information has been called "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Submission for ESTA 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 submit information about social media accounts they have held in the past five years. Previously, submitting this data was voluntary.

"These announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is supposed to embody and it must be withdrawn immediately."

Roots in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal stems from an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that aims "to ensure that all foreign nationals seeking admission the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent feasible."

Government Statement and Justification

A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those traveling to the country," the spokesperson stated. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the public secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. The measure is in line with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by enabling CBP to collect additional information from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."