The EU could “act quickly and firmly” against what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the United States on five European individuals working on fighting online hate and misinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders such as the French president charged the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans targeted individuals who have been central to efforts to introduce legislation regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have led organised efforts to pressure American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in criticizing the move.
The restrictions were imposed this week on an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities contend the rules are necessary to control hate speech and falsehoods.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a far wider existing political and ideological clash between the current US administration and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In related legal news:
- A US district judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the action was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to take in a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, following signing a formal agreement with Washington.
Furthermore, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
