On Thursday, June 24, the U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection submitted a proposal to add a new field which would allow persons entering the country to declare their social media presence (i.e. Twitter handle, Facebook username, and other screen names). This would be optional for individuals to submit and they would have the right to withhold that information. However, they would still be subject to fingerprinting, interviews and background checks.
The target of this proposal will be non-citizens who submit arrival/departure forms at the border. According to this announcement, “Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide DHS greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections.” Customs and Boarder Protection will be accepting comments from the public for the 60 days following the original announcement before it will be formally considered.