UK Campaigner Targeted by Trump Administration Accuses Tech Giants of Sociopathic Greed
Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), is among five European nationals barred from the US by the State Department for allegedly pressuring tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.
Ahmed, who lives in Washington, DC with his American wife and daughter, faces possible deportation. A court granted a temporary restraining order to block his removal or detention, with a hearing scheduled for Monday to confirm the protective order.
Former EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton is also among those barred. The sanctions accuse the group of leading organized efforts to coerce American platforms into censoring, demonetizing, and suppressing American viewpoints.
Ahmed denies the charges, calling them unfounded and asserting they stem from his work promoting accountability and transparency for social media and artificial intelligence. He expects his First Amendment rights to be upheld.
The CCDH has had previous conflicts with Elon Musk over content on X, with Musk unsuccessfully suing the CCDH and later calling it a "criminal organisation." The CCDH has also published reports on harmful AI and online content.
These sanctions come amid broader tensions over European regulations targeting hate speech and misinformation. UK campaigners warn of potential further targeting if the Trump administration intensifies attacks on tech regulation.
