The EU could “act quickly and firmly” against what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the US against five Europeans working on fighting online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were central to campaigns to enact laws regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to punish US perspectives they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in condemning the move.
The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as several activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Regarding Governance
This European legislation is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The judge ruled the action was “a further instance” of linking federal aid 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 active border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in dozens of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, after concluding a formal agreement with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
