Irish travelers and millions of other visitors to the United States could be required to disclose five years of social media history before entering the country under a Trump administration proposal published in the U.S. Federal Register.
The plan would apply to citizens of 42 countries — including Ireland, Britain, France, Australia and Japan — who can currently travel to the U.S. without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. Those visitors must obtain an Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, and provide personal details; the proposed change would make the collection of social media identifiers a mandatory part of that application.
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In addition to social media handles from the past five years, travelers would be asked to submit other “high‑value data fields,” including phone numbers from the last five years, email addresses from the past decade, personal details of family members and biometric information, according to the notice.
The public has 60 days to comment on the proposal.
Barry Andrews, an Irish member of the European Parliament with the Fianna Fáil party, condemned the plan. “Even the worst authoritarian states in the world do not have such an official policy,” he said in a statement, calling it “outrageous.”
Andrews warned that the tightening of entry requirements could chill investment and tourism. “If enacted, this will have serious consequences for Irish businesses seeking to invest in the U.S., and vice versa for the IDA seeking American foreign direct investment into Ireland,” he said, adding that “millions of Europeans would no longer feel safe traveling to [the U.S.] on an American holiday.”
He also said the move could deter football fans planning to travel for major tournaments. The United States, alongside Mexico and Canada, will host the 2026 World Cup, an event expected to draw large numbers of international visitors.
“The EU must make clear to President Trump that these plans are unworkable and cannot be enacted,” Andrews said.
The proposal is the latest in a series of measures by the Trump administration to tighten curbs on entering the U.S. as part of a broader immigration and security crackdown. It would formalize the collection of social media data for travelers who have until now faced fewer pre‑screening demands than visa applicants.
If implemented, the rule would significantly expand the amount of personal information required from short‑stay visitors, binding their digital footprints to the travel screening process. Privacy advocates and business groups are expected to weigh in during the comment period, while governments in Europe and other Visa Waiver countries are likely to assess potential reciprocity and data protection implications.
The Department of Homeland Security has said in previous rulemakings that social media identifiers can help verify identities and flag potential security concerns, but critics argue the practice risks sweeping up innocuous speech, chilling expression and disproportionately affecting people who rely on social platforms for work or advocacy.
For now, travelers to the U.S. from Visa Waiver countries must continue to apply for ESTA under existing requirements. Any change would take effect only after the public comment period and subsequent agency review.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
