U.S. border authorities are pushing for new powers that would require visitors to grant access to five years of their social media activity upon arrival, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.
The 11-page proposal has been published in the Federal Register for a public comment period of 60 days and is not yet legally binding. The requirement would apply to platforms such as TikTok, X and Instagram.
All tourists entering the country through the automated Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be affected. ESTA facilitates visa-free travel from more than 40 countries, allowing stays of up to 90 days.
The department said it was instituting the new procedure to comply with an executive order issued in January 2025 for "Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threat."
Mandatory social media checking is part of a larger package that will regulate data collection on those entering and leaving the country.
In August, it became known that the administration had expanded checks on people holding visas.
According to a report in the Washington Post, millions of people already in the US were checked. A particular focus was their online presence with a view to withdrawing visas in the event of evidence of an overstay or of criminal activity
Separately, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced checks on potential immigrants for possible "anti-American" comments on the internet.
Federal officials are currently rigorously enforcing rules on immigrants found to have overstayed the periods permitted in their documentation.
