Trump's Privacy Invasion Gone Mad: Surrender 5 Years of Social Media or Face US Entry Ban

For millions of people planning a holiday or work trip to the United States, the journey could soon start long before they reach the airport. Under a new proposal from the Trump administration, visitors would be asked to hand over details of their social media use going back five years. That would turn what has been a routine border check into a review of a traveller's online life, with anyone reluctant to share facing the risk of being turned away.

In a proposal filed on Tuesday, 9 December, in the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) set out the new rules. The data check would be 'mandatory' for new entrants to the U.S., whether or not they are from countries that usually need visas to visit. That means travellers from countries such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea could all face extra hurdles at the border.

CBP To Collect Five Years Of Social Media Data

The change will directly affect travellers who use the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. The programme lets people visit for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, as long as they secure electronic travel authorisation first. For many, it has been a straightforward way to enter the country, but the new questions would add another layer of checks.

At the moment, people travelling under the Visa Waiver Program must enrol in the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) programme. They pay a fee of about £32 ($40) and provide basic contact details, including an email address, home address, phone number and an emergency contact. The approval then lasts for two years.

New Rules Reach Deep Into Travellers' Private Lives

The new proposal significantly widens the type of information the U.S. government wants to see before allowing someone to board a plane. In the document filed on Tuesday, the CBP said it plans to ask applicants for personal data well beyond a simple social media check. Officials are seeking a detailed picture of a traveller's recent digital and personal history.

According to the filing, applicants would have to list phone numbers used in the last five years and email addresses used in the last 10 years. They would also be asked for the names, dates and places of birth, phone numbers and residential addresses of family members. That requirement effectively pulls relatives into the process, even if they never intend to visit the U.S. themselves.

Rushed Emergency Clearance and World Cup Timing

Per the notice, the changes were submitted to the Office of Management and Budget through an 'emergency clearance, with the justification of an unanticipated event and reasons to believe following the normal PRA process would result in public harm.' The CBP is accepting 60 days of public comments on the proposal before sending it to the OMB for a final decision.

The immigration law firm Fragomen published an alert on Tuesday, 9 December, warning that, if approved, the CBP is expected to roll out the updated protocols over the coming weeks and months. 'ESTA applicants should be aware that if these changes are finalised, they would be asked for a higher level of personal detail in future applications and become subject to a social media review by CBP,' the law firm warned in its alert. 'The increase in data collection could also mean that ESTA applicants would face an increased likelihood of being flagged for closer scrutiny and/or would experience longer waits for ESTA approval.'

The timing is sensitive. The announcement comes as the U.S. expects over 1.24 million international visitors travelling to next year's World Cup. Extra checks on years of online activity could slow processing just as visitor numbers surge.

Trump Expands Social Media Surveillance For Visa Applicants

The new plan fits into a broader effort by President Donald Trump to increase scrutiny of visitors' social media and online activity. In June, the State Department announced that it would require 'all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas' to change their social media profiles to public.

Last week, the State Department said it would extend this 'online presence review' to include H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependants from 15 December 2025. Back in October, the administration also introduced a new £198 ($250) 'visa integrity fee' for travellers from non-visa waiver countries such as Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. Taken together, the measures mark a clear shift towards more intensive screening of those hoping to enter the United States.