The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” against what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the US on five European individuals working on fighting digital hatred and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the visa restrictions targeted individuals that were at the heart of efforts to introduce laws regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to suppress US perspectives they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in criticizing the decision.
The bans 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, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, while EU authorities argue the regulations are necessary to combat hate speech and disinformation.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash involving Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In related judicial developments:
- A federal judge has blocked efforts to cut security grants to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the new year, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for additional aid, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
