EU–US Visa Ban Clash Over Online Speech Escalates

A new diplomatic dispute has erupted after the United States imposed visa bans on five European individuals it accuses of pushing social media platforms to censor American viewpoints.

The U.S. The State Department says these figures pressured tech companies to suppress protected speech, singling out former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton—credited with shaping Europe’s Digital Services Act—as well as campaigners from nonprofit organisations working on online harm.

European leaders, including the EU Commission, France, and Germany, have strongly condemned the move, arguing that visa restrictions against allies over regulatory differences amount to coercion and undermine free expression.

Brussels insists its digital laws protect both safety and speech and are not aimed at dictating policy on U.S. soil. The broader row marks a sharp escalation in transatlantic tensions over how to govern harmful online content and preserve free speech in the digital age.

Read more: theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/24/visa-ban-for-european-critics-of-online-harm-is-first-shot-in-us-free-speech-war

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