The EU might “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the US on five European individuals working on fighting online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe such as the French president charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans were placed on individuals that were central to efforts to enact laws regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate 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 condemning the move.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by Washington as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders contend the rules are essential to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal news:
- A US district judge has halted efforts 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 federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an active border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to accept dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, after signing a formal agreement with Washington.
Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent performing arts center in Washington DC.
Experts point out that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
