The US government is asking tourists who wish to visit the country for their social media usernames.
Do you want to get a tourist entry permit for the USA? In the new application that you will find on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) , which is part of the US Visa Waiver , you will also have to fill in information about the social media you have at your disposal. The US Visa Waiver program is a US Visa exemption program that allows citizens of 38 countries to visit the USA for 90 days without a visa.
The addition to the form regarding social media was first proposed by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in June 2016. The form specifically prompts you: “Please enter the information related to your online presence” and a drop-down menu along with a text box allows applicants to select a social media service (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and type in the username they use on it.
No, they don't ask for a password. We don't think they need one anyway. However, according to the US CBP, the goal of this change is to identify potential terrorist threats. CBP wrote last June that, "collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide greater clarity and transparency into potential illegal activity and connections."
Of course, the proposal to supplement social media was met with criticism and protest, as was logical. Many human rights associations and groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, published an open letter last August 2016 expressing their "serious concerns.".
It seems that these protests were the reason why the option to hand over usernames is optional, but because the process for entering the US is confusing, it is likely that most visitors will fill out the card in full rather than risk additional intimidating questions from uniformed officers.
