A new plan from Washington to make social media histories and other personal data mandatory for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications—affecting citizens from 42 visa-waiver countries—has sent shockwaves through the travel industry. “One policy tweak, and whole livelihoods wobble.”Quick factsThe proposed rule would expand ESTA to require social media history covering the past five years. But critics say a broad sweep of social media and long-term communication records crosses into chilling territory—deterring legitimate travelers and casting a wider net than necessary. “Using five years of social media data for everyone applying through ESTA is akin to asking every visitor to empty their pockets into a lamp post,” said Leila Ramírez, a digital privacy scholar at a university think tank. Local job markets could shrink; an estimated 157,000 US tourism jobs are potentially vulnerable.