The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” against what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the United States on five European individuals involved in combating digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were central to campaigns to enact laws governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of censorship beyond its borders.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in criticizing the decision.
The restrictions were enacted this week on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities contend the rules are necessary to combat hate speech and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict between Washington and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In related legal news:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to local governments that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The official ruled the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the new year, coinciding with an ongoing border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to take in a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
