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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the United States to hand over their online profile details has been branded "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Travelers

Under the plan, tourists from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to provide information about social media accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Previously, providing this information was voluntary.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan gives up those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is supposed to embody and it must be withdrawn immediately."

Origins in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal stems from an presidential directive issued by Donald Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to ensure that all aliens seeking admission the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided clarification on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the United States," the official said. "It is not a implemented policy, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the American people safe."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in the capital. The measure is in line with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."