The DS-160 Social Media List: Which Platforms Count?
The DS-160 doesn't ask about "social media" in the abstract — it presents a fixed dropdown of platforms and asks for every username you used on each within the past five years. Here is the list as it has appeared on the form, what belongs in the free-text question, and the platforms people wrongly assume are exempt.
Which platforms are on the DS-160 dropdown?
The form's selectable list has included: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr, Myspace, Ask.fm, Vine, and the major Chinese and Russian networks — Douban, QQ/Qzone, Sina Weibo, Tencent Weibo, Youku, VKontakte (VK). The list is maintained by the State Department and updated over time — answer whatever the current form shows, platform by platform.
TikTok isn't in the dropdown I saw — do I still disclose it?
This is exactly what the follow-up free-text question is for: the form asks whether you've used other platforms in the past five years, and answering it honestly is as binding as the dropdown. If your form's version asks that question, a TikTok, Threads, Twitch or Discord presence belongs there.
Does WhatsApp count as social media on the DS-160?
Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal and iMessage have not been on the dropdown — they're private communication rather than a public presence, and the form separately collects your phone numbers and email addresses anyway. Telegram is a gray zone (it has public channels); if you run a public channel, the free-text question is the safe home for it.
Do I list accounts where I only watch or lurk?
Yes. The question asks for usernames "used", not "posted from". A YouTube account you only watch with, a Reddit lurker account, an Instagram you opened once — if it existed and you used it in the window, it goes on the form. Lurker accounts are also the ones people forget, and forgotten accounts are the dangerous ones.
What about deleted accounts, old handles, or accounts I can't access?
All disclosable if used within five years. Deletion removes the profile, not the obligation. Changed your handle? List both. Can't remember the exact username? Reconstruct your best good-faith answer from old emails and password managers — an approximation beats an omission.
Is there a separate list for ESTA or other forms?
ESTA (visa-waiver travel) has collected social media identifiers since 2016 on an optional basis, with proposals in late 2025 to make collection mandatory; its platform list is similar but not identical. The DS-160 answer is the one with the five-year legal teeth — build your complete handle inventory once and both forms become easy.
See your profiles the way an officer will
Run a free scan of your public profiles — we flag the inconsistencies and risk signals that matter for your visa, before you submit.
Check my profiles freeRelated
Independent service — not affiliated with any government and not legal advice. Rules current as of July 2026; always confirm against official sources.