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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the US to hand over their social media profile details has been branded "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Disclosure for ESTA Applicants

Under the plan, tourists from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide details about online accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Until now, providing this information was voluntary.

"These announced plans are deeply concerning," 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 enter a country."

He added, "The measure introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is meant to embody and it must be rescinded immediately."

Roots in an Previous Presidential Directive

The plan follows an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the US are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent possible."

Government Statement and Reasoning

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offered context on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the country," the official stated. "This is not a implemented policy, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the American people secure."

The spokesperson added, "The department are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the recent incident in the capital. This new proposal is in line with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to gather additional information from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."