The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unwarranted” travel bans issued by the US on five European individuals involved in fighting online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Coercion’
European leaders such as the French president accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans targeted figures that were at the heart of efforts to enact legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have led organised efforts to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism Across Europe
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning the decision.
The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s digital governance law, as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the rules are essential to combat hate speech and disinformation.
This row risks becoming a facet of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In other judicial news:
- A federal judge has halted efforts to reduce security grants to states that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The judge ruled the action 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 new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in Washington DC.
Experts point out that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.
