U.S. Proposal Would Require Five Years of Social Media History from International Visitors

The U.S. has proposed expanding travel screening to include up to five years of a visitor’s social media history. It’s not policy yet, but it’s a clear signal: online identity is increasingly part of border screening. The key takeaway here is operational, not algorithmic-social handles, past usernames, and public-facing activity are moving into the same paperwork bucket as itinerary details and employment letters.

What this means for creators who travel to the U.S. for shoots, conferences, and brand deals: build more lead time into plans and keep a clean record of accounts you’ve used over the last five years. Consistent naming across profiles, clear bio information, and an accessible list of prior handles will reduce friction if disclosures are requested. Worth noting for brands and agencies: if you sponsor international talent or send staff to U.S. events, expect more front-loaded admin. Collect required identifiers early, distinguish personal profiles from any brand-managed accounts in your documentation, and update production timelines-last‑minute fly‑ins just got riskier.

The bigger picture: this is about travel compliance, not platform features. Nothing here changes how feeds rank content or how ads are bought, but it does elevate the strategic importance of identity hygiene. The practical move is to treat social profiles like travel documents-accurate, consistent, and easy to produce when asked. Details (which platforms, which data points, and how they’re used) will be clarified if the proposal advances, so avoid assumptions and watch for final guidance. The bottom line for social teams is simple: preparedness beats panic. Document your profile footprint, align names with your official IDs, and bake extra time into cross-border campaigns.