Former President Trump's Proposed Plan for FIFA World Cup Tourists to Disclose Social Media Histories Labeled as 'Chilling'
A recently unveiled requirement for soccer tournament fans traveling to the United States to disclose their social media profile details has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."
Mandatory Submission for Visa Waiver Travelers
Under the plan, visitors from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide information about online accounts they have held in the past five years. Previously, providing this information was voluntary.
"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."
He added, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is meant to represent and it must be rescinded at once."
Roots in an Previous Executive Order
The plan stems from an presidential directive signed by former President Trump in early 2025 that aims "to ensure that all aliens wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent feasible."
Official Response and Reasoning
A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the matter. "This is not a change on this front for those traveling to the United States," the spokesperson stated. "It is not a implemented policy, it is simply the first step in initiating a process to have new policy options to keep the public safe."
The spokesperson added, "We are continuously evaluating how we vet those entering the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in the capital. The measure is consistent with the earlier directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather additional information from foreign nationals using the ESTA program."
