Trump administration considers requiring five-year social media history from all visitors, including Britons

The United States government is considering a major overhaul of its entry procedures for foreign travellers, including Britons, by introducing a mandatory five-year social-media history disclosure.

According to a notice published in the US Federal Register, visitors would be required to provide all social-media handles, email addresses, phone numbers, and detailed information about close family members before being allowed into the country.

Expanded screening could transform travel to the US

Currently, travellers from the UK and other Visa Waiver Programme nations can enter the US for up to 90 days using an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for a nominal fee.

The proposed changes would drastically alter this process, making extensive personal data and online activity part of the standard screening.

The new requirements would also extend biometric collection during online applications, including facial recognition, fingerprints, iris scans, and potentially DNA, a level of scrutiny previously limited to in-person inspections at US entry points.

A selfie upload would also become mandatory for all applicants, whether entering on a visa or ESTA.

While the administration frames the measures as a security safeguard, critics point to previous instances where travellers were denied entry over content found on personal devices, raising concerns over privacy and civil liberties.

Privacy concerns and Biometric data collection

The proposed rules are now open for a 60-day public consultation period, giving individuals and organisations the chance to offer feedback before they are potentially implemented.

This move represents a significant escalation in border screening practices, highlighting tensions between national security objectives and personal privacy protections for international visitors.