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 US visa process, such as US Customs and Border Protection, as a new proposal to the Federal Register suggests new entry measures in the country, according to which foreign visitors should 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 internet presence - Provider / Platform - Social Network ID."
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, fingerprinted footprints, have been interviewed and face-to-face, along with numerous database checks.
"The collection of social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide DHS with greater clarity and transparency into potentially strange activities and connections, providing an additional set of tools that analysts and researchers for the best analysis and investigating 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.
