"The new proposals mean travelers will likely soon be obliged to share their social media history, phone numbers and email addresses as part of the travel authorization process. The DHS said the proposal, which will reportedly come into effect on February 8, 2026, unless challenged in court beforehand, originated from US President Donald Trump's January order for arrivals to be "vetted and screened to the maximum degree.""
"Citizens of nations conventionally considered low-risk US allies will soon have to provide their social media handles upon arrival to the country. Under plans announced this week by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), travelers from 42 countries including Germany, Israel, Australia and Japan will be subject to the same tight scrutiny as the rest of the world has been since 2019."
Travelers from 42 visa‑waiver countries, including Germany, Israel, Australia and Japan, must provide social media handles, phone numbers used in the last five years, and email addresses used in the last ten years when applying for travel authorization. The Department of Homeland Security proposed the measure, prompted by a presidential order to vet arrivals to the maximum degree, scheduled to take effect February 8, 2026 unless blocked in court. Applicants will not have to supply account logins, so officials would normally see only publicly available content unless additional data is obtained from platforms. The change follows a State Department move toward continuous vetting and will collect biometric and family-member information.
Read at www.dw.com
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