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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the US to hand over their social media profile details has been branded "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

According to the proposal, visitors from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to provide information about online accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Previously, submitting this information was voluntary.

"These proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "The measure creates a climate of fear of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is meant to represent and it must be withdrawn at once."

Roots in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal stems from an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to guarantee that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided clarification on the matter. "This is not a change on this subject for those coming to the country," the official 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 American people safe."

The representative added, "The department are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the recent attack in Washington DC. The measure is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order to vet those who are entering this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to gather additional information from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."