The US State Department has stopped visas for five Europeans. They are accused of pressuring American social media companies. These people allegedly tried to stop certain opinions on these platforms. This action is a strong diplomatic response from Washington. It shows a growing argument about online rules and foreign interference. The US government believes these actions are foreign censorship. They say it targets American speakers and businesses online.
This problem is mostly about the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This law makes platforms more responsible for their content. However, US officials worry the DSA could help foreign interference. They also fear it could limit free speech. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some groups push for censorship by foreign countries. He said these actions often target Americans and American companies. This suggests the US thinks European rules might go too far.
Thierry Breton is reportedly one of the people affected. He was an EU Commissioner. He helped create the DSA. Breton was a supporter of stricter online rules. He said on X, "Censorship isn’t where you think it is." This shows different ideas about censorship and online rules.
The US also says these people pressured big tech firms like X. X is owned by Elon Musk. X and the European Commission have had problems. The Commission fined X €120 million. This was for its blue tick system. The Commission said the system was not clear about users. X also stopped the Commission from advertising. This made the relationship harder. Clare Melford from the Global Disinformation Index is also affected.
The US government is worried about laws like the DSA. They fear these laws could harm American interests. They also worry about open discussion. Some in the US think these rules could hurt right-wing views. They see it as hiding attempts to control ideas. These visa denials show the US wants to stop what it sees as foreign control. This may affect future talks about internet freedom.