The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the US against five European individuals working on fighting online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce American platforms to punish US perspectives they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will not stand for these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in criticizing the move.
The restrictions were imposed on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Regarding Governance
The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while EU authorities argue the rules are essential to combat inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has halted efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official stated the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued 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.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after concluding a formal agreement with US authorities.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
