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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament fans traveling to the United States to hand over personal online profile details has been called "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Travelers

According to the proposal, visitors from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide information about social media accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Until now, providing this data was voluntary.

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

He added, "This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to embody and it must be rescinded at once."

Roots in an Previous Executive Order

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by former President Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Official Statement and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency provided context on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the United States," the official stated. "This is not a final rule, 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 terrorist incident in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."