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A recently unveiled 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 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide details about social media accounts they have held in the past five years. Until now, providing this data was optional.

"These proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "This policy introduces a climate of fear of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal stems from an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in early 2025 that aims "to guarantee that all foreign nationals seeking admission the United States are thoroughly checked to the maximum degree feasible."

Government Response and Justification

A spokesperson for the border agency offered context on the matter. "This is not a change on this front for those coming to the country," the official stated. "It is not a implemented policy, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have new policy options to keep the public secure."

The representative added, "We are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the recent incident in the capital. The measure is in line with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather further data from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."