THE ADMINISTRATION of US President Donald Trump plans to require visa-exempt foreign tourists to disclose their social media histories from the past five years before entering the country, according to an official notice.
A notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register outlines the proposal, which would apply to visitors from 42 countries, including Britain, France, Australia and Japan, who do not need a visa to enter the United States.
These travellers currently apply for a waiver through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which requires certain personal details. Under the proposed rules, collecting social media data would become a "mandatory" part of ESTA applications.
According to the notice, applicants would need to provide their social media histories from the last five years. They would also have to provide other "high-value data fields," including phone numbers from the last five years, email addresses from the past decade, personal details of family members and biometric information.
The public has 60 days to submit comments on the proposal.
The Trump administration has tightened curbs on entering the United States as part of a broader crackdown on migration.
The United States, Mexico and Canada will host the 2026 World Cup, which is expected to draw large numbers of soccer fans from around the world.
(With inputs from agencies)
FILE PHOTO: Tulsi Gabbard with Donald Trump (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
