The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the US on five European individuals involved in combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated.
EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on figures that were at the heart of efforts to enact laws governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” stated a senior US official online. “This government will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in criticizing the decision.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as several activists fighting false information, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while European leaders contend the regulations are essential to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing political and ideological clash between Washington and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In other legal news:
- A US district judge has halted efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the action was “a further instance” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of 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 increased assistance, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in the capital.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
