Tourists from Europe and other regions could be asked to provide a five-year social media history before given entry to the United States, according to a new proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection service (CBP). The new rule would affect visitors from countries who normally enjoy relatively easy entry to the US via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

The new proposal cites an executive order issued by President Trump from January titled "Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats." In his first year in office, Trump has been hyper-focused on strengthening US borders and reducing what he calls illegal immigration. 

The US state department will conduct "online presence" reviews for applicants and their dependents and require privacy settings on social media profiles to be made "public." Applicants must list all the social media handles they've used over the last five years and if any information is omitted, it could lead to the denial of current and future visas. The CBP didn't say what information they were looking for or what could be disqualifying. 

On top of the social media information, CBP may require applicant's telephone numbers and email addresses used over the last five and 10 years respectively, along with information about family members. 

The new conditions are liable to increase ESTA wait times and drastically boost the cost of enforcing it. The CPB's document suggests that an additional 5,598,115 man-hours would be required per year, or around 3,000 full-time jobs plus all the costs that entails. Right now, the ESTA application costs $40, allows people to visit the US for 90 days at a time and is valid for a two-year period. 

The mandatory social media reporting and other requirements could discourage travelers. Some Australian tourists who were coming to the US for the upcoming World Cup have now said that they've abandoned those plans, according to The Guardian, with one person calling the new rules "horrifying."

However, when asked if the proposal could lead to a tourism decline in the US, Trump said he wasn't concerned. "No. We're doing so well," he told a reporter. "We want to make sure we're not letting the wrong people come enter our country." 

The CPB emphasized that the new conditions were only a proposal for now. "Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States [currently]," a spokesperson told the BBC. "This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe." 

If implemented, the rule would affect people from 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan. The largest number of tourists to the US come from Canada and Mexico, accounting for nearly half of the total — however, visitors with passports from those two countries don't require a visa or ESTA approval. Travel to the US was down three percent this year compared to 2024 as of August 2025, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/us-could-demand-five-year-social-media-history-from-tourists-before-allowing-entry-102751243.html?src=rss

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Uber is rolling out kiosks for travelers to book rideshares without using the mobile app. The company is pitching the service as a convenience for international travelers who may not have a data plan, but it could also be a lifesaver if your phone runs out of juice and you don't have a way to recharge it. A passenger can use the kiosk to enter their destination and desired ride type, then will receive a printed receipt with the details about their booked ride. The first kiosk will debut in Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, but Uber said it would have additional locations in airports, hotels and ports over the coming months. 

In airport situations, these kiosks make Uber even more of a direct competitor to traditional taxis. With the removal of the app, the kiosk can essentially stand in as the dispatcher and a passenger can decide how to travel based on their preferences (or on wait times) for a rideshare versus a yellow cab.

Uber also used LaGuardia as the starting point for its shuttle bus service in New York, with $18 rides between the airport and Manhattan transit hubs in October 2024; it later rolled out the shuttles to John F. Kennedy Airport in March 2025. Today, Uber said it is bringing the shuttle bus option to Newark Liberty International Airport, so all major NYC airports now have access to the service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-is-installing-kiosks-for-booking-rides-without-the-mobile-app-220904106.html?src=rss

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