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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament fans journeying to the United States to disclose their social media profile details has been called "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Travelers

Under the plan, visitors from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to submit details about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Until now, submitting this data was optional.

"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "This policy creates a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is meant to embody and it must be withdrawn at once."

Roots in an Earlier Executive Order

The plan follows an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to guarantee that all aliens seeking admission the United States are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Official Response and Justification

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided context on the matter. "This is not a change on this subject for those coming to the United States," the spokesperson said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to keep the public secure."

The representative added, "The department are continuously evaluating how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the recent incident in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to collect additional information from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."