Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Washington, D.C. — In a move that has sharply intensified transatlantic tensions, the United States government has announced it will deny visas to a former European Union commissioner and four other prominent European figures, accusing them of contributing to censorship of American viewpoints through social media regulation efforts. The decision, announced on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, reflects escalating diplomatic friction between Washington and Brussels over the future of digital governance and free-speech norms online.
The sanctions announced by the U.S. State Department target Thierry Breton, the French former European Commissioner for the Internal Market, along with several civil society leaders involved in digital content regulation and efforts to combat online hate and misinformation. Washington alleges that these individuals have “coerced” American social media platforms into suppressing viewpoints they oppose, a charge that has been vigorously rejected by the European Union and the individuals concerned.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterised the move as necessary to defend American free speech, saying the targeted figures and organisations had “advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states — in each case targeting American speakers and American companies.” According to U.S. officials, the visa restrictions are part of a broader strategy to counter what they describe as extraterritorial efforts to influence content moderation on U.S. platforms.
At the centre of the dispute is the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a sweeping regulatory framework adopted by the bloc that imposes content moderation obligations and transparency requirements on major digital platforms operating within the EU. While European authorities say the DSA is intended to create a safer and fairer online environment, critics in the United States — particularly within conservative political circles — argue it has been weaponised against American companies and free-speech values.
Thierry Breton, who served as the EU’s commissioner responsible for digital policy until 2024, played a key role in shaping the DSA and has publicly clashed with U.S. tech executives, including Elon Musk, over compliance with European content standards. U.S. officials branded him the “mastermind” of the DSA and said his actions, along with those of the others barred from entering the United States, constituted a coordinated push to influence the speech environment of American platforms.
The other individuals targeted by the visa restrictions include Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German nonprofit HateAid, Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the UK-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index. These figures lead organisations focused on combating online hate, misinformation and disinformation — efforts that U.S. officials have controversially framed as censorship of protected viewpoints.
European leaders reacted with strong condemnation to the U.S. decision. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot denounced the visa restrictions as unjustified and warned against what he described as attempts to impose external rules on Europe’s digital regulatory autonomy. Barrot emphasised that the DSA was democratically adopted by the EU and does not extend extraterritorially to the United States.
European Commission spokespeople also criticised the move, stating that Brussels has sought clarifications from U.S. authorities and urged respect for the EU’s sovereign right to regulate its digital space. The Commission suggested it would consider “swift and decisive” responses if necessary to protect its regulatory autonomy, signalling that the dispute could have broader diplomatic repercussions.
The French government described the visa ban as an act of intimidation and coercion, with President Emmanuel Macron asserting that Europe would defend its regulatory sovereignty. German officials echoed similar sentiments, calling the U.S. actions unacceptable and underscoring that the DSA was developed through transparent democratic processes within the EU’s legislative framework.
Breton himself took to social media to decry the decision as reminiscent of a “witch hunt,” drawing parallels to historical episodes of political repression. He stressed that the DSA’s adoption had overwhelming support from the democratically elected European Parliament and all 27 member states of the EU, insisting that efforts to promote responsible digital governance should not be misconstrued as censorship.
The broader context of the visa denials is a growing rift between the United States and the European Union over how to regulate Big Tech and protect digital freedoms. The U.S. government has increasingly criticised European digital regulations — including the DSA and the UK’s Online Safety Act — as threats to free expression and American economic interests. In some cases, Washington has hinted at trade or regulatory retaliations against foreign companies seen as unfriendly to U.S. tech firms.
The dispute has also unfolded against the backdrop of recent enforcement actions by EU regulators. Earlier this month, European authorities fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X for violating transparency and verification requirements under the DSA, a confrontation that further exacerbated tensions with U.S. policymakers. Critics of the visa ban argue that Washington’s aggressive stance risks undermining cooperation on digital policy at a time when global tech governance is increasingly contested.
Supporters of the U.S. action within Washington argue that defending free speech and protecting U.S. sovereignty over domestic content moderation policies are paramount. They maintain that foreign regulatory regimes should not dictate how American companies operate or influence the speech environment of U.S. citizens. Nonetheless, the measures have drawn warnings from civil liberties groups, who caution against equating content moderation and efforts to tackle online harms with censorship of protected speech.
The unfolding visa restrictions mark an unusual escalation in U.S.–EU relations on technology policy, highlighting deep disagreements over the balance between online safety, free expression and national regulatory authority. As both sides seek to navigate the complex terrain of digital governance, the spat over visa denials may foreshadow broader diplomatic and regulatory clashes in the coming years.
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