America has proposed recording your social media accounts before letting you in
British travellers trying to enter the United States may soon have to provide Facebook and Twitter profiles as part of the process.
The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed social media vetting as an additional step for anyone seeking a visa or an Esta (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) .
Handing over the information will be optional - but many may feel obligated to provide it for fear of being refused entry.
Travellers will need to reveal which forms of social media they use and what their "identifier" (username or handle) is.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer checks the passport of a European tourist
If the proposal is successful, it will be added as an extra line in both the online and paper application for anyone wishing to stay in the US for up to 90 days.
DHS is proposing to add “social media identifiers” to travel admission forms (ESTA\I-94W)! https://t.co/1sFJU2xbRn pic.twitter.com/P0glAHjjIZ
— Joseph Lorenzo Hall (@JoeBeOne) June 23, 2016
According to the US Federal Register : "Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide DHS greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case."
A Customs and Border Protection officer checks passports at the passport control booth
The proposal is currently under consultation and the US government is taking comments on it for the next 60 days. After which, it will decide whether or not to go ahead.
"Just as with any change in entry requirements, the DHS will need to balance security issues against the need to encourage people to visit their country," a spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents told the BBC .
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