The EU might “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it deems “unjustified” travel bans issued by the United States against five Europeans working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were central to efforts to introduce legislation regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to pressure US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in condemning the decision.
The bans were enacted this week against a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, while European leaders contend the regulations are necessary to combat inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This row threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash between Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal news:
- A federal judge has blocked efforts to reduce security grants to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an active border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept dozens of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with historical international strategies.
