US social media rules may weaken tourism

A proposal by the United States to expand social media checks on foreign visitors has drawn concern from the travel industry, which warned it could reduce visits and spending. The plan would require millions of travellers to share social media handles used over the past five years, a move industry groups say may discourage travel to the US. The proposed change was announced last week in a US government notice and is expected to take effect on February 8. It would apply to travellers from countries covered under the visa waiver program. In response to the reform, the US Travel Association said on Monday, “If we get this policy wrong, millions of travellers could take their business and the billions of dollars they spend elsewhere, only making America weaker.” The group added, “One thing that isn’t in question: this policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States.” Under current rules, applicants for immigrant and non-immigrant visas have been required to provide social media information since 2019. The new proposal expands this requirement to visa waiver travellers, who currently visit the US without a visa for short stays. The notice said the move follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on January 20 calling for visitors to be “vetted and screened to the maximum degree.” The visa waiver program allows travellers from 42 countries, mainly in Europe, to enter the US for up to 90 days without a visa. These travellers must complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA. Under the proposal, the ESTA form would require applicants to submit social media handles. The notice also said the US would seek additional personal information, including all email addresses used over the last 10 years. Travelers would also need to provide names, birth dates, residences and birthplaces of parents, siblings, children and spouses. The proposal is open for public comment for 60 days. Earlier this month, the US State Department said that from December 15 it would require all H-1B visa applicants and their dependents to set social media profiles to “public” so officials can review posts. The US is set to co-host the football World Cup in 2026 with Canada and Mexico, an event expected to attract visitors from around the world. Travel businesses are counting on the tournament to support a recovery in tourism after a drop since Trump took office. Separately, the Trump administration last week began accepting applications for a “gold card” programme that allows people who pay $1 million to obtain US permanent residency “in record time.” A website for the programme said a “platinum card” costing $5 million was “coming soon,” a move critics say goes beyond the scope of US law.