US could ask tourists for five-year social media history before entry

According to the new proposal announced by American officials, tourists coming from dozens of countries, including the UK, may be required to have a five-year social media history as a condition for entering the USA.

The new situation will affect people from dozens of countries who have the right to visit the United States without a visa for 90 days as long as they fill out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to harden U.S. borders more generally, citing national security as a key reason.

Analysts say the new plan could hinder potential visitors or harm their digital rights.

Asked whether the proposal would lead to a sharp decline in tourism to the United States, Trump said he was not worried.

“No. We’re doing very well,” Trump said Wednesday.

“We just want people to come here safely. We want security. We want security. We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come into our country.”

The United States is expecting a huge influx of foreign tourists next year as it hosts the men’s soccer World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, along with Canada and Mexico.

The proposal document was submitted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), of which the agency is a part.

US media reported that it appeared in the Federal Register, the official newspaper of the US government. The BBC has sought comment from DHS.

The proposal states that “the data element will require Applicants for ESTA We ask them to provide their social media for the last 5 years, without providing further details on what specific information will be required.

The current ESTA requires a relatively limited amount of information from travelers as well as a one-off payment of $40 (£30). It is open to citizens of nearly 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Australia and Japan, and allows them to visit the United States multiple times within a two-year period.

In addition to collecting social media information, the new document recommends collecting phone numbers and email addresses the applicant has used in the past five and 10 years, respectively, and gathering more information about family members.

The text quotes an executive order Trump issued in January titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

The new proposal for ESTA data collection for tourists is inviting public comments for 60 days.

Sophia Cope of the digital rights organization Electronic Frontier Foundation criticized the plan, telling the New York Times that it “could increase harms to civil liberties.”

Meanwhile, Fragomen, who practices in immigration law, suggested there could be practical implications as applicants may face longer waits for ESTA approvals.

The Trump administration had previously announced that it would review the social media accounts of foreign nationals applying for student visas or H1B visas for skilled workers.

The State Department said it would conduct “online presence” reviews of applicants and their dependents, and that the privacy settings on all social media profiles must be made “public” for this screening to occur.

The announcement on the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Mexico states that certain visa applicants must list all social media usernames or usernames of platforms they have used in the last five years.

It warns that if any social media information is not listed, this could lead to denial of both current and future visas.

A senior State Department official said of the student visa policy: “It is an expectation of American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration does every day.”

Officers were instructed to screen those who “advocate, assist, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security or commit unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence.”

As part of the administration’s broader efforts to tighten borders, officials recently said the current travel ban affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean could soon be expanded.

The move was announced following a shooting attack on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., in which an Afghan man was named as the suspect.

Experts have previously suggested that changes made in travel policies during the Trump era affected the American tourism industry.

Earlier this year, the World Travel and Tourism Council said that of the 184 economies it analyzed, the US was the only country expected to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025.

Other policies of the Trump administration also appear to be affecting tourism to the country, such as many Canadians boycotting U.S. travel as a form of protest against Trump’s tariffs.

October was the 10th consecutive month of decline in the number of Canadian travelers to the United States. Historically, Canadians made up about a quarter of all international visitors to the US and spent more than $20bn (£15.1bn) a year, according to the US Travel Association.