US Social Media Checks May Deter Foreign Travel

A group representing the U.S. travel and tourism industry warned Monday that a proposal to require millions of foreign visitors to provide social media handles used over the past five years could have a "chilling effect" on visits to the United States.

The proposed change, announced in a U.S. government notice last week and expected to take effect on February 8, would require travelers from countries in the visa waiver program to submit the social media data.

"If we get this policy wrong, millions of travelers could take their business and the billions of dollars they spend elsewhere, only making America weaker," the U.S. Travel Association said Monday in a statement. "One thing that isn’t in question: this policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States."

Applicants for immigrant and non-immigrant visas have been required to share that information since 2019. The Trump administration has taken a range of steps to tighten vetting of foreigners entering the U.S.

The requirement for additional information stemmed from a Trump executive order issued on January 20 calling for visitors to the U.S. to be "vetted and screened to the maximum degree," according to the notice published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The visa waiver program allows travelers from 42 countries, mostly in Europe, to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. They must complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form, which under the change would require social media handles.

The U.S. would also require all email addresses used over the last 10 years and names, birth dates, residences and birthplaces of parents, siblings, children and spouses, the notice said, which is open for public comment for 60 days.

The U.S. State Department said earlier this month that effective December 15, it is requiring all H-1B applicants and their dependents to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to "public" in order for the department to review social media posts by applicants.

The U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, will host soccer's World Cup in 2026. The global event is expected to draw tourists from around the world. U.S. travel businesses are banking on the event to help rebound from a drop in tourism since Trump took office.

Last week, the Trump administration began accepting applications for a "gold card" that would allow people who pay $1 million to obtain U.S. permanent residency "in record time."

A website for the programs, which critics say go beyond the scope of U.S. law, said a "platinum card" for people paying $5 million was "coming soon."