US Refuses Visas to Former European Union Official and Additional Figures Concerning Online Platform Regulations
American diplomatic officials stated it would deny visas to a group of five people, including a ex-European Union official, for reportedly seeking to "coerce" American online companies into suppressing opinions they disagree with.
"These individuals and aggressive non-profits have promoted censorship crackdowns by other governments - in each case targeting US voices and US firms," said US diplomat the official.
Thierry Breton suggested that a "witch hunt" was taking place.
Breton was described as the "key designer" of the European Union's online content law, which enforces content moderation on digital platforms.
A Divisive Regulation
Yet, it has angered certain right-leaning Americans who see it as an attempt to silence conservative viewpoints. EU authorities denies this.
The official has been in conflict with Elon Musk, owner of platform X, over obligations to adhere to European regulations.
EU regulators recently fined X 120 million euros over its blue tick badges – the inaugural penalty under the DSA. Regulators stated the platform's system was "misleading" because the firm was not "properly authenticating users".
In response, the platform blocked the Commission from making adverts on its platform.
Responses and Additional Restrictions
Reacting to the entry restriction, Breton posted on X: "To our American friends: Censorship does not lie where you think it is."
Another listed individual, who heads the British Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was also listed.
A senior US diplomat Sarah B Rogers accused the GDI of using US taxpayer money "to exhort suppression and targeting of American speech and press".
A representative for the group characterized the entry bans as "a repressive move on free speech and a blatant example of government censorship".
"Their actions today are immoral, illegal, and contrary to American values," they stated.
Imran Ahmed of the an online hate watchdog, a nonprofit that combats digital hatred and misinformation, was also handed a ban.
The undersecretary called Mr Ahmed a "primary partner with efforts to weaponize the state apparatus against US citizens".
Also subject to bans were Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of HateAid, which the US officials said helped enforce the DSA.
Responding, the two CEOs described it as an "act of repression by a administration that is showing disregard for the rule of law".
"We refuse to be silenced by a government that uses accusations of censorship to silence those who stand up for fundamental freedoms," they added.
Official Rationale
The Secretary of State stated that action was initiated to enact entry bans on "agents of the global censorship-industrial complex" who would be "generally barred from entering the United States".
"The administration has been clear that his America First diplomatic stance opposes violations of US autonomy. Foreign-imposed regulations by foreign censors aimed at US expression is unacceptable," he added.
