The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the United States against five Europeans involved in combating digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans were placed on figures who have been central to campaigns to introduce laws regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to pressure 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.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in condemning the decision.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas European leaders argue the rules are necessary to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to take in dozens of migrants from the US in return for additional aid, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the removal of a political figure’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.
