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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the United States to hand over personal social media profile details has been called "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Submission for ESTA Applicants

According to the proposal, visitors from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide information about online accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Until now, submitting this data was voluntary.

"These announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is meant to represent and it must be withdrawn at once."

Origins in an Previous Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an presidential directive issued by Donald Trump in January that seeks "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 context on the issue. "This is not a change on this subject for those traveling to the United States," the spokesperson said. "It is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to protect the public safe."

The representative added, "We are continuously evaluating how we screen those entering the country, especially after the recent incident in Washington DC. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to gather further data from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."