Welcome to the United States. Can we have your Social Media nickname please?
This probably should be the future on your travels to the US. To pass the Customs and, in general, border control at the airport before you enter US territory, you must give your Social Media aliases.
Yes your nickname may soon be part of the visa process by US agencies such as US Customs and Border Protection, as a new proposal in the Federal Register proposes new entry measures that would require foreign visitors to declare their online presence.
This new proposal was submitted by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the Federal Register to update the required entry documents with a question asking travelers:
"Please enter information associated with your online presence - Provider / Platform - Social media identifier."
"Please enter the details related to your presence on Internet – Provider/Platform – Social Network Identifier.”
This information will not be mandatory, but of course, foreign travelers who refuse to disclose their online presence may be subject to additional scrutiny.
According to DHS, the new information requested will add a new layer of scrutiny to potential foreign visitors, who have already been photographed, there are fingerprints they've been fingerprinted, interviewed and face-to-face, along with numerous database checks.
"Social media data collection will enhance the existing investigation process and provide DHS with greater clarity and transparency about potentially bizarre activities and interfaces, providing an additional set of tools that analysts and researchers can use to better analyze and investigate a case ", the proposal states.
The new field will be added to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and the I-94 form used to notify the United States authorities of the arrival of a visitor but also the departure from the country.
US Customs and Border Protection seeks comments on the new proposal by 22 August. So the public has 60 days to protest in Washington, before the ratification of the proposal.
