The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US against five European individuals working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans were placed on individuals who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded organised efforts to pressure American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Broad Criticism Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in criticizing the decision.
The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several 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 European leaders argue the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader existing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In other judicial developments:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist specific federal immigration rules. The judge stated the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for additional aid, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital.
Analysts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
