US plan to track tourists’ social media sparks alarm

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A new proposal by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aims to require social media usernames from travellers entering the United States under expedited travel programs like the Visa Waiver Program. While framed as a national security measure, the move has sparked criticism from privacy advocates and human rights groups.

The draft rule, published earlier this month, suggests travellers provide their public social media handles used in the last five years. DHS says the policy would help assess potential threats and identify individuals with malicious intent.

However, critics—including civil liberties organisations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)—warn that this could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, deter travel to the US, and lead to discrimination based on online activity.

Experts also note that requiring such data from visitors—especially from allied nations—could strain diplomatic relations and raise reciprocity concerns, prompting other countries to impose similar requirements on American travellers.

The proposal is currently under a 60-day public comment period. If implemented, it would expand existing voluntary data collection mechanisms to a mandatory disclosure—without clear guidelines on how the information will be used or retained.

Legal scholars argue that social media data is often misinterpreted, and algorithms may not fully grasp cultural or linguistic nuances, leading to potential false positives and profiling.

As AI tools are increasingly used in border screening, the balance between security and digital rights is coming under renewed scrutiny.

The proposal reflects a growing global trend of governments linking online behaviour to physical mobility, raising urgent questions about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the future of international travel.