A plan to require supporters travelling to the United States for the World Cup to disclose information about their social media accounts has been described as “profoundly unacceptable”.
Tourists from 42 countries, including the UK, which use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) as part of the visa waiver programme would be obliged to provide information about accounts they have held in the last five years in their applications. Previously it had been optional to provide the information.
Ronan Evain, the executive director of Football Supporters Europe, said: “The US government’s announced plans are profoundly unacceptable. Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border.
“This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that directly contradicts the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is meant to embody and it must be withdrawn immediately.”
The proposal follows an executive order from Donald Trump in January which seeks “to ensure that all aliens seeking admission to the United States, or who are already in the United States, are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible”.
A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection said: “Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States. This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe. The department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington DC against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving.
“This new proposal is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 to vet those who are coming into this country using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) by allowing CBP to collect additional information from non-US citizens applying through the visa waiver programme from eligible countries.”
