US Imposes Visa Bans on European Critics of Online Harm Laws, Escalating Free Speech Dispute
On 24 December 2025, the United States announced visa bans targeting five prominent European critics of online harm regulations, including Imran Ahmed, head of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), and Thierry Breton, former European Union industry commissioner and a key architect of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
These visa restrictions have been framed as a direct response to newly introduced European Union and United Kingdom legislative regimes, such as the EU's DSA and the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), which require online platforms to protect users from harmful content. Among recent enforcement actions under the DSA, the platform X was fined €120 million (£105 million) for breach of regulations.
The bans have been characterised by MAGA-aligned US politicians as evidence of an anti-free-speech culture prevailing in Europe. This move follows prior legal tensions, including a 2023 lawsuit led by Elon Musk against the CCDH alleging improper data access to X, which was dismissed in 2024 as an attempt to punish speech.
Thierry Breton's targeting exemplifies the US government's opposition to key figures involved in shaping the DSA. Additionally, the UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has signalled that it may become a target as the dispute evolves.
Earlier in May 2025, the US State Department declared it would block entry into the US for foreign nationals deemed to censor Americans, though it is still seeking clarity on how visa restrictions will be applied.
Meanwhile, the EU and UK are in the process of implementing their respective digital safety laws amid growing opposition. For instance, internet forum 4chan was fined £20,000 by Ofcom for failing to respond to an OSA risk assessment and has initiated a lawsuit in the US challenging the enforcement of the act.
This series of visa bans and legal actions is seen as part of an ongoing long-term battle over free speech and regulatory authority that dates back to the Trump administration.
