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A recently unveiled mandate for World Cup fans journeying to the United States to disclose personal social media profile details has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Mandatory Submission for Visa Waiver Travelers

According to the proposal, visitors from 42 countries—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to provide information about social media accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Previously, providing this data was voluntary.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He added, "The measure creates a climate of fear of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to embody and it must be withdrawn at once."

Roots in an Previous Presidential Directive

The plan stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to guarantee that all foreign nationals seeking admission the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent feasible."

Official Statement and Justification

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided clarification on the matter. "This is not a change on this front for those traveling to the country," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the American people secure."

The spokesperson added, "The department are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist incident in Washington DC. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals using the visa waiver programme."