US plans to start checking all tourists' social media

All tourists - including those from Britain - will have to undergo a social media screening before being allowed entry into the US under new plans being considered by the country's border force.

At the moment, Britons are among those who can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. They just have to obtain an electronic travel authorisation, known as an ESTA, for $40 (£30).

The potential social media mandate being proposed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would apply to anyone visiting, whether they require a visa or not. According to a notice published in America's federal register on Tuesday, foreign tourists would need to provide their social media from the last five years.

It will be "mandatory" to hand over the information, and other details - including email addresses and telephone numbers used in the last five years, as well as the names, addresses, numbers, and birthdays of family members - will also be required. Currently, as part of the ESTA application process, a tourist from Britain would have to provide an email address, home address, phone number, and emergency contact details.

If approved, the ESTA lasts for two years. CBP is proposing that moving forward, ESTA applications would require a selfie.

It further wants to collect biometrics - face, fingerprints DNA and iris - as part of the ESTA application. It currently only records face and fingerprints upon arrival at the US border.

The proposed changes are open for public consultation for 60 days. So much for free speech? There have been several reports of travellers already having been denied entry into the US over social media posts and messages found on their personal devices after President Donald Trump took office in January.

This includes a French scientist who was turned away at the US border in March after messages "that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism" were found on his phone. Despite Mr Trump vowing to "restore freedom of speech" on online platforms and end "federal censorship" when he took office, he has found himself at the centre of various free speech rows since.

In September, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was taken off-air by Disney-owned ABC over comments he made about the assassination of the right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. Mr Kimmel accused the Trump administration and its allies of "working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk.