US may require 5 years of social media history from incoming tourists

Travelers visiting the United States may be required to disclose five years of their social media history under The proposal was submitted on Tuesday By the US Customs and Border Protection Agency. Visitors from dozens of countries will be required to provide their social media information, as well as other personal information, the Department of Homeland Security said in a notice.

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It is unclear which social media platforms the agency is referring to, and whether some posts will result in these travelers being prevented from traveling to the United States.

“Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States,” a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said in a statement. “This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion for new policy options to keep the American people safe. The Department is constantly looking at how to screen people coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, D.C. against the National Guard just before Thanksgiving.”

On December 5, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the government was Expanding its ban Forced to travel from some countries to more than 30 countries, after an Afghan man was accused of shooting two National Guard members in West Virginia on November 26, killing one of them.

The social media policy will apply to travelers coming to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. This includes 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia, where visitors are allowed to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa.

Currently, travelers from visa-exempt countries must obtain Electronic travel authorizationpay $40 and provide their email address, home address, phone number, and emergency contact information. Listing your social media accounts is optional.

Under the new proposal, these visitors would not only have to reveal their social media history for five years, but they would also have to reveal their email addresses from the previous decade, as well as the names, dates of birth, places of residence and birthplaces of their parents, spouses, siblings and children.

Americans have 60 days to comment on the proposed change. They can submit comments via email to CBP_PRA@cbp.dhs.gov, until February 9.

The proposal comes after A June announcement Some travelers seeking visas to enter the United States must change their social media profiles to public if they are not already set to that status.

President Donald Trump has made cracking down on immigration a major issue since taking office in January. The administration also increased restrictions on people traveling to the United States.

This proposal comes six months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and is expected to bring an influx of foreign tourists to watch the matches.