Overview
- The draft rule would make disclosure of social‑media account identifiers from the past five years mandatory for ESTA applicants in Visa Waiver countries.
- In addition to social‑media handles, CBP proposes collecting phone numbers from the last five years, email addresses from the last ten years, and detailed contact information for close relatives.
- The WTTC projects up to 4.7 million fewer international arrivals in 2026 and as much as $15.7 billion in lost visitor spending, warning of more than 150,000 jobs at risk.
- A WTTC survey of nearly 5,000 frequent international travelers found about one‑third would be less likely to visit the United States if the requirement takes effect.
- Industry groups report private assurances that only usernames would be required, not account access or specific posts, and CBP would not review every applicant’s social activity, while CBP frames the collection as a national‑security measure tied to a presidential decree.