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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the US to disclose personal online account information has been called "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Travelers

Under the plan, tourists from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to submit details about social media accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, providing this data was voluntary.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," stated 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 enter a country."

He added, "This policy creates a climate of fear of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is supposed to embody and it must be rescinded at once."

Roots in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal stems from an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that aims "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are thoroughly checked to the maximum degree possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offered clarification on the matter. "This is not a change on this front for those coming to the country," the spokesperson stated. "It is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are continuously evaluating how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist incident in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather additional information from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."