The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new digital screening rules for travelers who enter the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. The plan would affect citizens of about 42 participating countries, mainly in Europe and parts of Asia, who may stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days for tourism or business with online authorization instead of a visa.
Under the proposal, applicants using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would have to submit a broader set of personal data, bringing visa-free travelers closer to the level of scrutiny already applied to most traditional visa applicants. The move builds on earlier steps to integrate social media checks into immigration vetting for other categories of visitors.
A notice from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register sets out the draft rule and opens a 60-day public comment period before any changes can be finalized. During that period, individuals, advocacy groups and foreign governments may submit feedback that DHS must review before issuing a final regulation.
Details Of The Proposed Data Collection
The draft rule would make it mandatory for visa-free visitors to disclose up to five years of social media identifiers associated with their online accounts. That would cover major platforms where travelers post or interact publicly, giving U.S. authorities a new view of what people have said and who they engage with online before boarding a plane.
In addition, the proposal calls for collecting phone numbers used over the previous five years, email addresses from the last ten years and more extensive biographical and family information. Officials say these datasets would be checked against existing security and law-enforcement databases to help verify identities and identify possible connections to extremist or criminal networks. Applicants who decline to answer the new questions, or whose online presence raises concerns during review, could see their ESTA requests denied and may instead have to apply for a regular visa at a U.S. consulate.
National Security Rationale And Policy Context
DHS officials describe the proposal as part of a broader tightening of border controls and immigration vetting under former President Donald Trump’s current term in office. The administration has already expanded social media screening for categories such as student visas, arguing that online activity can reveal risk factors that do not appear in traditional paperwork.
Security agencies have long viewed the Visa Waiver Program as both an economic asset and a potential vulnerability because it facilitates high volumes of relatively low-friction travel to the United States. Supporters of the new rule say requiring more detailed digital footprints from travelers will help close gaps that might otherwise be exploited by individuals seeking to conceal extremist sympathies, criminal backgrounds or links to sanctioned organizations. They also cite the growth of online radicalization and the use of social networks in past plots as justification for closer scrutiny.
Privacy, Free Speech And Tourism Concerns
Civil liberties and digital rights advocates say the plan would significantly expand government surveillance of travelers who have never been accused of wrongdoing. Free speech groups warn that compelling visitors to reveal years of social media activity could have a chilling effect, discouraging people from criticizing governments, discussing sensitive topics or engaging in political activism online out of fear it might be misinterpreted by border officials.
Privacy experts also highlight the risk that broad data retention could expose travelers’ information to misuse or future policy shifts. Once collected, social media identifiers, phone records and email addresses could potentially be shared more widely across U.S. agencies or with foreign partners, depending on how internal rules evolve. Tourism and business groups caution that the added requirements may deter some travelers from using the Visa Waiver Program, pointing to past experience showing that stricter entry rules can reduce international visitor numbers and affect airlines, hotels and local economies.
For now, DHS and CBP emphasize that the social media screening proposal remains a draft. Any final rule will depend on the outcome of the public comment process and subsequent regulatory review, and would likely face continued scrutiny from privacy advocates, foreign governments and the travel industry.
