The EU could “act quickly and firmly” against what it deems “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the US against five Europeans working on combating online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including the French president accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the travel bans targeted individuals who have been at the heart of campaigns to enact laws regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official online. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in condemning the move.
The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, along with four anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to control hate speech and disinformation.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In related judicial news:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official stated the case was “another example” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to take in dozens of migrants from the US in return for increased assistance, following concluding a formal agreement with US authorities.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in the capital.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
