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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the United States to hand over their social media account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Disclosure for ESTA 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 submit information about social media accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Until now, providing this data was optional.

"These announced plans are deeply concerning," stated Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "This policy creates a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Previous Executive Order

The proposal stems from an executive order signed by former President Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all aliens wishing to enter the United States are thoroughly checked to the maximum degree possible."

Official Statement and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the country," the official stated. "This is not a implemented policy, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the American people secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are continuously evaluating how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the recent attack in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather additional information from foreign nationals using the ESTA program."