The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US on five European individuals working on combating online hate and disinformation, an EU official stated.
European Leaders Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders including the French president charged Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the move.
The bans were enacted this week against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities argue the regulations are necessary to combat inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become a facet of a much broader existing political and ideological clash between the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In other legal news:
- A federal judge has halted attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist specific federal immigration rules. The judge stated the action was “another example” of linking government assistance to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the holiday period, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with past foreign policy actions.
