The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is calling on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to reconsider a proposed ESTA change that would require Visa travelers to disclose up to five years of social media history as part of the entry process—a move that could ripple across the U.S. international business travel market.
The proposal would make social media disclosure a mandatory component of the Visa process—a move that ASTA says raises privacy, operational and economic concerns for inbound travel to the U.S.
In formal comments recently released, ASTA emphasized its support for national security efforts while questioning the scope and implementation of the proposed ESTA requirement. According to the association, the notice lacks specificity regarding which social media platforms would be included, how applicants would authenticate accounts, how incomplete histories would be handled and how collected data would be analyzed, stored or protected.
Industry Warns of Economic Ripple Effects
The economic implications are also significant. International visitors spent $251.6 billion in the U.S. in 2024 on travel and tourism-related goods and services. At the same time, the U.S. travel sector faces a reported $50 billion travel trade deficit as of 2025, a reversal from decades of positive balances.
Industry stakeholders warn that additional entry requirements could deter some inbound travelers, particularly if perceived as burdensome or unclear.
Could Social Media Vetting Trigger Global Reciprocity?
ASTA also flagged the possibility of foreign reciprocity. If the U.S. mandates expanded social media disclosure for Visa applicants, other countries could implement similar requirements for U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Such reciprocal measures could affect outbound travel demand and add administrative complexity for travel agencies, tour operators, and corporate travel managers.
Expanded vetting requirements may lengthen approval timelines, potentially disrupting last-minute bookings, business travel, and incentive programs that rely on predictable entry procedures.
As CBP reviews public comments, ASTA has called for greater transparency regarding how the proposed social media data collection would function and how it would balance security objectives with privacy protections and economic considerations.
