The EU could “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the United States against five Europeans involved in fighting online hate and misinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Condemn US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe such as Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to enact laws governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives joined the French president in criticizing the decision.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as four anti-disinformation campaigners, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities contend the rules are necessary to combat inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal news:
- A US district judge has blocked attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with past foreign policy strategies.
