U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are seeking authority to compel tourists entering the country to open up their social media posts over the past five years.

The Department of Homeland Security announced this on Wednesday.

The officials said that the 11-page proposal has been published in the federal register for a public comment period of 60 days and is not yet legally binding.

The requirement would apply to platforms such as TikTok, X and Instagram.

According to the officials, all tourists entering the country through the automated Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) will be affected.

ESTA facilitates visa-free travel from more than 40 countries, allowing stays of up to 90 days.

The department said it was instituting the new procedure to comply with an executive order issued in January 2025 for “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

Mandatory social media checking is part of a larger package that will regulate data collection on those entering and leaving the country.

In August, it became known that the administration had expanded checks on people holding visas.

According to a report in the Washington Post, millions of people already in the U.S. were checked. A particular focus was their online presence with a view to withdrawing visas in the event of evidence of an overstay or of criminal activity

Separately, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced checks on potential immigrants for possible anti-American comments on the internet.

Federal officials are currently rigorously enforcing rules on immigrants found to have overstayed the periods permitted in their documentation.

(dpa/NAN)