The European Union could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the US against five Europeans involved in fighting digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including the French president charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce laws regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to suppress US perspectives 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
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the move.
The restrictions were enacted this week on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders contend the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal news:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the case was “another example” of linking federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the new year, alongside an active immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, following signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Furthermore, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.
