US Cites National Security Order to Mandate Tourist Social Media Disclosure

WASHINGTON D.C.: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formally filed a proposal in the Federal Register to require citizens of allied nations using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to submit five years of social media history as part of their travel authorization process.

The move, executed through Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form, marks a significant escalation of the administration’s “extreme vetting” policies, extending what were primarily visa requirements to general tourists.

The proposal directly cites an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January, titled: “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

The objective, as stated by the administration, is to enhance security by screening for individuals who “advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security.” President Trump underlined this stance, stating, “We just want people to come over here, and safe. We want safety. We want security.”

The new ESTA requirement mirrors and expands on existing policies for other foreign nationals. The State Department previously announced that applicants for student visas or skilled worker (H1B) visas must list all social media usernames used in the last five years and, crucially, set their privacy settings to “public” to facilitate screening. Failure to list required information or comply with privacy setting adjustments is warned as a potential ground for visa denial.

A senior State Department official underscored the policy’s rationale, calling it an “expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer.”

This initiative to toughen borders is part of a broader security strategy, which also includes the recent announcement that an existing travel ban—currently affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean—could soon be expanded to additional high-risk nations.

The public has a 60-day period to comment on the proposal before the DHS and CBP finalize the stringent new vetting requirements for ESTA.