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A newly proposed requirement for World Cup fans journeying to the United States to hand over personal online profile details has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to submit details about online accounts they have held in the past five years. Until now, submitting this data was voluntary.

"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He added, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Roots in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The plan follows an executive order issued by former President Trump in January that aims "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Government Statement and Justification

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided clarification on the issue. "This is not a change on this front for those traveling to the country," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the public safe."

The representative added, "We are constantly looking at how we vet those entering the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to collect further data from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."