If you’re heading to the US sometime soon, you could be asked to share your social media history from the past five years.
The UK is among dozens of countries which could face new conditions from US border forces as the States gears up for an influx of foreign tourists. In 2026 the country will host (alongside Canada and Mexico) the men's football World Cup, while 2028 will see Los Angeles host the Olympic Games.
Worried that you might have to give up your social media privacy next time you visit the US? Here’s what you need to know about proposed new border rules.
Which countries could have to share social media at the US Border?
The new proposal could impact people from 42 countries who can currently visit the US for 90 days without a visa – so long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) form. This includes travellers from the UK, as well as Germany, Qatar, Greece, Malta, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel and South Korea.
What’s the new policy?
A document filed on Friday (12 December) by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency proposed new conditions for travellers entering the US.
The new proposal, if approved, will mean that travellers coming to the US are forced to provide significantly more information than before. Currently, required ESTA information includes parents’ names, current email address and details of any past criminal record.
ESTAs are submitted at least 72 hours in advance of travel. Applicants are screened automatically, and granted travel approval without the need for in-person interviews at a US embassy or consulate. This is part of what makes ESTAs different from standard visa applications.
Should the changes be approved, the proposal states that ESTA applicants will have to ‘provide their social media from the last five years’. Since 2016, disclosing social media info on ESTAs has been optional.
As well as social media information, you could also be asked to share any phone numbers used over the last five years and email addresses from the last 10 years. And on top of that, identity verification through face, fingerprint, DNA and iris information is being floated as part of the changes.
What effect will the new US visa rules have on travel?
If you’re applying to enter the US with an ESTA, immigration law practice Fragomen has suggested you could wait longer for approval.
This could cause problems for football fans hoping to head to the men’s football World Cup in 2026. FIFA is predicting that five million fans will descend on the stadiums, plus millions more visitors hoping to take in the buzz.
When will the social media border rule come into force?
New conditions on data collection for visitors to the US are yet to be approved. A spokesperson for CBP said in a statement: ‘This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.’
Public views are being welcomed by the new proposal on ESTA data collection for 60 days. The changes are unlikely to impact travellers heading for the US before February 9 2026, when the public consultation is set to end.
This is not the first time in Trump’s second term that travellers have been asked to hand over their social media history, with foreign students having been required to do so since June 2025.
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