Travelers visiting the US may be required to disclose five years of their social media history under a proposal filed on Tuesday by the US Customs and Border Protection agency. The Department of Homeland Security said in a notice that visitors from several dozen countries would be mandated to provide their social media information, as well as other personal information.
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It’s unclear which social media platforms the agency is referring to, and whether certain posts would result in those travelers being prevented from traveling to the US.
“Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States,” a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection said in a statement. “This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe. The department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, DC against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving.”
On Dec. 5, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the government is expanding its ban on travel from certain countries to more than 30, after an Afghan man was accused of allegedly shooting two West Virginia National Guard members on Nov. 26, killing one.
The social-media policy would apply to travelers coming to the US under the visa waiver program. That involves 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia, where visitors are allowed to travel to the US for up to 90 days without a visa.
Currently, travelers from visa waiver countries must obtain an electronic travel authorization, pay $40 and provide their email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact information. Listing your social media accounts is optional.
Under the new proposal, these visitors would not only have to disclose their five-year social media history but also their email addresses from the previous decade, as well as the names, birth dates, places of residence, and birthplaces of their parents, spouses, siblings and children.
Americans have 60 days to comment on the proposed change. They may submit comments via email to [email protected], through Feb. 9.
The proposal follows a June announcement that some travelers seeking visas to enter the US must change their social media profiles to public if they are not already set to that status.
President Donald Trump has made clamping down on immigration a major issue since he took office in January. The administration has also increased restrictions on people traveling to the US.
This proposal comes six months before next summer’s 2026 soccer World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico, and is expected to bring an influx of foreign tourists to watch the matches.
Source: CNET
