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A recently unveiled mandate for World Cup supporters traveling to the US to disclose their social media account information has been called "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Travelers

According to the proposal, visitors from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide information about social media accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, submitting this data was voluntary.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right of privacy are fundamental rights. No supporter gives up those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "This policy introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to embody and it must be withdrawn at once."

Origins in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The plan stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals seeking admission the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree feasible."

Government Response and Justification

A representative for the border agency offered context on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the United States," the official stated. "It is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the public safe."

The spokesperson further noted, "The department are continuously evaluating how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. This new proposal is in line with the earlier directive to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to collect further data from non-US citizens applying through the ESTA program."