With all the craziness going on in 2016 there was an interesting change in travel you might have missed. In December of 2016, the United States government started requesting that foreign visitors entering the U.S. provide officials with their social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter and others as a way to screen for potential terrorist threats.

Politico.com is reporting that travelers arriving to the U.S. from other countries on the visa waiver program have been asked to fill out paperwork with an OPTIONAL request to provide information about their social media presence. The menu asks for information about accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The new policy is an attempt by officials to screen foreign visitors with possible ties to terrorist groups. Some people in the tech industry and those concerned about privacy, opponents of the new policy, believe it could possibly impact free expression and pose new privacy and security risks to foreigners.

The new policy will have an effect on travelers entering the U.S. but there is also a concern about the precedent it could set for other countries. Internet Association general counsel Abigail Slater said in a statement. “Democratic and non-democratic countries, including those without the United States’ due process protections, will now believe they are more warranted in demanding social media information from visitors that could jeopardize visitors’ safety…. The nature of the DHS’ requests delves into personal information, creating an information dragnet.”

It is important to note that at this time it’s being reported that the social media account information request is optional and not mandatory.

What do you think of the new policy? How will it impact you or friends and family? Leave a comment below.