The EU might “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the United States against five Europeans working on fighting online hate and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including the French president charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans targeted figures that were at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation governing American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the decision.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is viewed by US officials as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the regulations are essential to control inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a far wider existing political and ideological clash between Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In related judicial news:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to cut federal homeland security funding to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to accept a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in the capital.
Experts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a broader belief in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy actions.
