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A recently unveiled mandate for soccer tournament fans journeying to the US to hand over their social media account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

According to the proposal, tourists from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to submit information about social media accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Until now, providing this data was optional.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He continued, "The measure creates a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Previous Executive Order

The plan follows an executive order signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all aliens wishing to enter the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree feasible."

Official Statement and Reasoning

A representative for the border agency offered clarification on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the United States," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in starting a discussion to have additional measures to protect the public safe."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we screen those entering the country, particularly after the recent attack in Washington DC. 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 collect further data from foreign nationals applying through the ESTA program."