The US State Department declared it would deny visas to a group of five people, including a ex-European Union official, for reportedly seeking to "coerce" American social media platforms into suppressing perspectives they disagree with.
"These individuals and weaponized NGOs have promoted suppression campaigns by other governments - in each case focusing on US voices and US firms," remarked Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The former European tech regulator suggested that a "witch hunt" was occurring.
Officials labeled Breton as the "mastermind" of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates speech regulations on social media firms.
A Divisive Regulation
However, it has angered certain right-leaning Americans who view it as seeking to censor right-wing opinions. Brussels rejects this characterization.
Breton has clashed with Elon Musk, owner of platform X, over requirements to adhere to EU rules.
EU regulators imposed a penalty on X 120 million euros over its verification system – the first fine under the DSA. It said the platform's system was "deceptive" because the firm was not "properly authenticating users".
As a countermove, the platform prevented the European body from making adverts on its platform.
Reactions and Broader Bans
Responding to the visa ban, the former commissioner wrote on X: "To our American friends: Speech suppression does not lie where you think it is."
Clare Melford, who heads the British disinformation research group, was included in the sanctions.
A senior US diplomat the official accused the GDI of using US taxpayer money "to encourage censorship and blacklisting of US expression and press".
A GDI spokesperson characterized the visa sanctions as "a repressive move on free speech and a blatant example of government censorship".
"These measures today are immoral, illegal, and contrary to American values," the spokesperson added.
Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit that fights digital hatred and false information, was similarly issued a ban.
Rogers labeled Mr Ahmed a "primary partner with campaigns to weaponize the state apparatus against American people".
Additionally facing restrictions were two executives of HateAid, which the US officials said helped enforce the DSA.
In a statement, the two CEOs called it an "act of repression by a government 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 defend fundamental freedoms," they added.
Official Rationale
The Secretary of State stated that action was initiated to impose visa restrictions on "agents of the international suppression network" who would be "typically prohibited from entering the United States".
"The administration has been explicit that his America First diplomatic stance rejects violations of American sovereignty. Extraterritorial overreach by foreign censors aimed at American speech is no exception," he affirmed.
