US State Department Bars Former EU Commissioner and Activists Over Efforts to Pressure US Tech Firms
The U.S. State Department has barred five Europeans from entering the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citing their leadership in efforts to pressure American technology firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints. The group includes former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who served as Commissioner for the Internal Market from 2019 to 2024, and four activists: Imran Ahmed from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg from HateAid, and Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described these individuals as spearheading organized efforts to coerce American platforms into censoring, demonetizing, and suppressing viewpoints opposed by them. This decision is part of a wider U.S. campaign targeting foreign influence on online speech, utilizing immigration controls rather than direct sanctions on platforms.
The move follows concerns from the U.S. regarding the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which Washington perceives as suppressing free speech and placing burdensome costs on U.S. tech companies. While Rubio’s formal statement did not name the individuals directly, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers identified them on the social media platform X, and Rubio alluded to them during a briefing.
The Global Disinformation Index and its co-founders condemned the U.S. action, labeling the measures immoral and an attack on free speech.
