Macron and EU Condemn US Visa Bans Amid Rising Digital Regulatory Tensions
The United States has imposed visa bans on five Europeans linked to efforts regulating American technology giants. Those targeted include Thierry Breton, former EU commissioner and architect of the Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as anti-disinformation campaigners from Germany and the UK—Imran Ahmed, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Josephine Ballon, and Clare Melford.
French President Emmanuel Macron and the European Union have condemned these measures, describing them as coercion and intimidation that undermine European digital sovereignty. The EU emphasizes that the DSA, democratically adopted within Europe, is designed to ensure safety and tackle illegal content by regulating online platforms.
The European Commission has pledged a swift response to defend regulatory autonomy, reiterating that the DSA aims to create a safer online space by compelling platforms to address illegal content effectively.
On the other side, US politicians such as Senator Marco Rubio have framed the visa bans as extraterritorial censorship. They argue that the DSA restricts freedom of expression and unfairly targets US platforms.
Stéphane Séjourné, who recently replaced Breton as internal market commissioner, expressed solidarity with Breton and affirmed Europe's commitment to sovereignty.
In Germany, the justice ministry announced that the two German campaigners affected have government support and deemed the US bans unacceptable. HateAid, one of the organizations involved, countered censorship claims by stating that the DSA aligns with constitutional rules.
Adding to the tensions, Elon Musk's X platform was fined €120 million by the EU for breaching online content regulations, illustrating the broader dispute between the US and EU over digital regulation.
