U.S. Customs and Border Protection has proposed requiring visa-waiver travelers from 42 countries to submit up to five years of social media history along with expanded personal details.

The measure would significantly increase data collection beyond the current Electronic System for Travel Authorization, where listing social media has been optional since 2016.

Immigration experts say the absence of social media information may now be interpreted as suspicious, and legal analysts call the plan a major shift toward evaluating travelers based on online speech.

Travel industry groups have voiced concern that the heightened vetting and potential delays could deter international visitors, especially ahead of major events like the World Cup, the New York Times has reported.

Digital rights advocates warn that mandatory social media disclosure threatens privacy and free expression while offering little proven benefit for security.