Washington, D.C., December 10, 2025 – The Trump administration has proposed a sweeping new rule that would require every foreign tourist entering the United States — including those from visa-waiver countries — to disclose their social media accounts and activity from the past five years before being allowed to travel.
The measure, published in the Federal Register on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), would make social-media history a mandatory part of the online Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application used by citizens of more than 40 allied nations, including the UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Currently, travellers from these countries can visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a traditional visa by paying a $40 fee and obtaining ESTA approval, which is normally valid for two years and allows multiple entries. Under the new proposal, applicants would be required to list all social-media platforms they have used in the last five years, along with their usernames or handles.
The change would also extend to traditional visa applicants, meaning virtually every foreign visitor — tourist, business traveller, or family visitor — would face the same requirement.
CBP says the move is needed to strengthen national-security vetting and identify potential threats more effectively. Officials argue that social media has become a key tool for extremists and foreign adversaries to spread propaganda, recruit, or plan attacks.
Privacy and civil-liberties groups immediately condemned the proposal as an unprecedented invasion of privacy that could chill free speech and deter millions of legitimate tourists. Critics warn that innocent posts — political opinions, jokes, or even liking controversial content — could be misinterpreted and lead to travel denials.
Tourism-industry leaders expressed alarm over the potential economic impact. The U.S. already saw a sharp drop in international visitors during President Trump’s first term, and analysts predict this rule could cost the economy billions more in lost spending, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup expected to bring millions of foreign fans to American cities.
Several allied governments have reacted cautiously but critically. The British Foreign Office said it was “seeking urgent clarification” on how the rule would affect UK citizens. European officials described it as “disproportionate,” while Australia’s tourism minister warned it could severely harm bilateral travel.
The proposal is now open for a 60-day public comment period. If finalised, it would mark one of the most significant expansions of pre-travel screening in U.S. history and could set a precedent for other countries to follow — or retaliate against American travellers.
For now, millions of people around the world who were planning trips to Disney World, New York, or the Grand Canyon next year are watching closely to see whether a casual tweet from 2021 could soon become grounds to be turned away at the U.S. border.
