The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans imposed by the US on five Europeans working on fighting online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including the French president charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions targeted individuals that were at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation governing US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to punish US perspectives they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state online. “This government 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 condemning the move.
The restrictions were enacted this week against a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other judicial developments:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “another example” of linking government assistance to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, alongside an active border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
