US Border Patrol. Credit: Instagram @borderpatrol
UK and European tourists travelling to the United States may soon face mandatory social media screening, under a far-reaching Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan to overhaul the ESTA system with the most intrusive checks ever applied to short-stay travellers.
Published on December 10, the proposed rule would compel all visitors from Visa Waiver countries (including the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany and most of Europe) to disclose five years of social media accounts before receiving an ESTA travel authorisation, according to The Washington Post.
DHS argues the measure will “enhance identity verification and threat detection.”
But civil-liberties groups warn it represents a sweeping expansion of US surveillance powers – with little evidence that it actually improves security.
What the new US social media travel rule actually proposes
Under the proposal, social media disclosure becomes compulsory for every ESTA applicant.
Travellers would need to submit:
- Social media identifiers used during the past five years
- Up to 10 years of phone numbers and email addresses
- Full residential history
- IP address data
- Metadata embedded in uploaded photos
- Enhanced biometric checks, including facial recognition and fingerprinting
ESTA website to be scrapped and mobile app becomes mandatory
One major practical change has received less attention but will significantly affect travellers: The ESTA website is being closed.
All ESTA applications must soon be filed via the official mobile app, which DHS says improves photo verification and prevents users bypassing identity checks with low-quality images.
Part of a larger US push into monitoring online activity
This ESTA overhaul follows a series of rapid expansions in US digital vetting:
- From December 15, 2025, all H-1B workers and their H-4 dependants must ensure their social media profiles are public so consular officers can inspect posts, reports Business Insider.
- Students on F, M and J visas have been subject to similar checks since June, according to a government press release.
- Since 2019, most global visa applicants have had to list their social media usernames on the DS-160/DS-260 forms.
The Brennan Center for Justice says US policy has shifted from targeted checks to a “broad, expanding web of social-media surveillance” across multiple administrations.
Can US border officers search your phone?
Separate from ESTA rules, travellers may also face phone and laptop searches when entering the United States.
Under the “border search exception,” US officers can inspect electronic devices even without a warrant.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reports multiple cases in which:
- Travellers were questioned about political posts
- Memes or humour were misinterpreted
- Entry was denied following content reviews
For tourists who store work documents, private chats or sensitive photos on their devices, this capability is especially significant.
Does social media vetting work?
Despite nearly a decade of pilot programmes, the US Department of Homeland Security has not demonstrated whether social-media screening improves vetting outcomes, because its own trials lacked the basic tools needed to measure effectiveness.
According to the DHS Office of Inspector General, early programmes “did not establish criteria for measuring performance,” leaving the Department unable to determine whether social-media screening enhanced its ability to identify threats. The report concludes that without defined metrics, DHS cannot assess whether the screening provides useful intelligence or improves security.
In a 2025 letter, US Senators Ed Markey and Ron Wyden criticised DHS for failing to demonstrate any security benefit despite massive expansion.
Immigration lawyers warn that ESTA’s current rapid processing may change if officers begin reviewing social-media content or account histories.
In India, many H-1B and H-4 visa applicants are concerned about social-media vetting according to Times of India coverage. Any delay triggered by the screening could cost them their careers.
For tourists planning to visit the US in 2026, key takeaways include:
- All ESTA applicants may have to disclose five years of social-media history
- ESTA moves to an app-only system (no more website applications)
- Officers can review public posts and may inspect electronic devices at the border
- Processing delays are possible, especially for travellers with complex online activity
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