US may ask vacationers for five-year social media historical past earlier than entry

[ad_1] Watch: "We wish security" - Trump addresses social media checks for vacationers to the US

Vacationers from dozens of nations together with the UK might be requested to supply a five-year social media historical past as a situation of entry to the US, underneath a brand new proposal unveiled by American officers.

The brand new situation would have an effect on folks from dozens of nations who're eligible to go to the US for 90 days with out a visa, so long as they've crammed out an Digital System for Journey Authorization (ESTA) type.

Since returning to the White Home in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders extra usually - citing nationwide safety as a key cause.

Analysts say the brand new plan may pose an impediment to potential guests, or hurt their digital rights.

Requested whether or not the proposal may result in a steep drop-off in tourism to the US, Trump mentioned he was not involved.

"No. We're doing so nicely," Trump mentioned on Wednesday.

"We simply need folks to come back over right here, and protected. We wish security. We wish safety. We need to be sure we're not letting the fallacious folks come enter our nation."

The US expects a significant inflow of international vacationers subsequent 12 months, because it hosts the lads's soccer World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, and for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The proposal doc was filed by Customs and Border Safety (CBP) and the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), of which the company is a component.

US media reported that it appeared within the Federal Register, the official journal of the US authorities. The BBC has requested DHS for remark.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/db84/live/472b9460-d5e9-11f0-a892-01d657345866.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images A US CBP officer checks the passport of a traveller" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Getty Pictures The Trump administration has tightened border management since returning to the White Home (file photograph)

The proposal says "the information aspect would require ESTA candidates to supply their social media from the final 5 years", with out giving additional particulars of which particular data can be required.

The present ESTA requires a relatively restricted quantity of data from travellers, in addition to a one-off cost of $40 (£30). It's accessible to residents of about 40 international locations - together with the UK, Eire, France, Australia and Japan - and permits them to go to the US a number of instances throughout a two-year interval.

In addition to the gathering of social media data, the brand new doc proposes the gathering of an applicant's phone numbers and electronic mail addresses used during the last 5 and 10 years respectively, and extra details about their relations.

The textual content cites an govt order from Trump in January, titled "Defending the US From International Terrorists and Different Nationwide Safety and Public Security Threats".

The brand new proposal concerning ESTA information assortment for vacationers invitations views from the general public for 60 days.

Sophia Cope, of digital rights organisation the Digital Frontier Basis, criticised the plan, telling the New York Instances that it may "exacerbate civil liberties harms".

In the meantime, immigration legislation observe Fragomen steered there might be sensible impacts as candidates may face longer waits for ESTA approvals.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/58a2/live/9ad48060-d5b5-11f0-8bfb-c701cb9859bc.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images A pen laid atop a paper form labelled Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Getty Pictures The plan would have an effect on folks from international locations together with the UK, which may fill out an ESTA type in lieu of a visa

The Trump administration beforehand introduced it could look at social media accounts when vetting international nationals who apply for scholar visas or H1B visas for expert staff.

The state division mentioned it's going to conduct "on-line presence" evaluations for candidates and their dependents, and that privateness settings on all social media profiles have to be made "public" so this screening can happen.

An announcement on the web site for the US Embassy and Consulate in Mexico states sure visa candidates should listing all social media usernames or handles of each platform they've used within the final 5 years.

It warns that if any social media data isn't listed, it may result in each present and future visas being denied.

A senior state division official mentioned of the scholar visa coverage: "It's an expectation from Americans that their authorities will make each effort to make our nation safer, and that's precisely what the Trump Administration is doing each single day."

Officers have been instructed to display for these "who advocate for, assist, or help designated international terrorists and different threats to nationwide safety; or who perpetrate illegal anti-Semitic harassment or violence".

As a part of the administration's broader effort to toughen borders, officers lately mentioned an present journey ban - affecting 19 international locations in Africa, the Center East and the Caribbean - may quickly be expanded.

That transfer was introduced within the wake of a capturing assault on two Nationwide Guard members in Washington DC, through which an Afghan man has been named because the suspect.

Consultants have beforehand steered that the modifications to journey insurance policies launched underneath Trump have had an impression on the American tourism business.

Earlier this 12 months, the World Journey & Tourism Council mentioned the US was the one considered one of 184 economies that it analysed that was anticipated to see a decline in worldwide customer spending in 2025.

Different Trump administration insurance policies have additionally appeared to impression tourism to the nation, comparable to many Canadians boycotting US journey as a type of protest towards Trump's tariffs.

October marked the tenth straight month of decline within the variety of Canadian travellers to the US. Prior to now, Canadians have made up a few quarter of all worldwide guests to the US, spending greater than $20bn (£15.1bn) a 12 months, in keeping with the US Journey Affiliation.