The US government has a new plan. It wants to see social media history from millions of visitors. This plan is causing a lot of discussion. It will affect people from 42 friendly countries. These people can currently visit the US without a visa.
Many travelers from countries like the UK and Germany use ESTA. This is an online system for travel. Before, they could choose to share social media names. Now, the new rule will make it a requirement. Visitors must give their social media account names from the last five years.
The government also wants more information. They want email addresses for ten years. They also want phone numbers for five years. Family history details are also needed. Officials say this is important for national security. They want to keep the country safe.
President Trump supports these new rules. He said the safety of people coming to the US is a priority. He believes the US is still a popular place to visit. The US will host big events soon, like the World Cup and Olympics.
Some groups are worried about privacy. They say this plan is too invasive. They think collecting so much personal data is risky. It could be used wrongly. It might also stop people from speaking freely online. This could affect tourism.
The plan is now open for public comments. The government will listen to everyone's ideas. Then, they will decide if the rule will be official. This could change how the US checks travelers. It shows a growing trend of using online data for security.