US Refuses Entry Permits to Former European Union Official and Additional Figures Concerning Social Media Rules

American diplomatic officials announced it would refuse entry permits to five individuals, including a ex-European Union official, for allegedly seeking to "force" American online companies into silencing opinions they oppose.

"These individuals and aggressive non-profits have advanced suppression campaigns by other governments - in each case targeting American speakers and American companies," remarked US diplomat the official.

Thierry Breton implied that a "witch hunt" was taking place.

Officials labeled Breton as the "mastermind" of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates speech regulations on digital platforms.

A Contentious Law

Yet, the act has frustrated some US conservatives who see it as an attempt to silence right-wing opinions. Brussels denies this.

Breton has clashed with the billionaire entrepreneur, the world's richest man, over obligations to follow EU rules.

The European Commission recently fined X 120 million euros over its verification system – the inaugural penalty under the DSA. It said the platform's system was "misleading" because the firm was not "meaningfully verifying users".

In response, the platform blocked the European body from running advertisements on its platform.

Reactions and Broader Bans

Responding to the visa ban, the former commissioner wrote on X: "Addressing the US: Censorship isn't where you think it is."

Another listed individual, who heads the British Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was also listed.

US Undersecretary of State the official alleged the GDI of using American public funds "to encourage censorship and targeting of American speech and media".

A GDI spokesperson said the entry bans as "a repressive move on free expression and a blatant example of government censorship".

"Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and contrary to American values," they stated.

Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-governmental organization that fights digital hatred and misinformation, was similarly issued a ban.

Rogers labeled Mr Ahmed a "primary partner with campaigns to misuse the state apparatus against US citizens".

Additionally facing restrictions were two executives of HateAid, which the State Department said aided in implementing the DSA.

In a statement, the two CEOs described it as an "attempt to silence by a government that is showing disregard for the legal principles".

"We refuse to be silenced by a government that uses accusations of censorship to silence those who defend fundamental freedoms," they concluded.

Policy Justification

The Secretary of State stated that steps had been taken to impose visa restrictions on "agents of the global censorship-industrial complex" who would be "generally barred from entering the United States".

"President Trump has been explicit that his national sovereignty foreign policy rejects violations of US autonomy. Foreign-imposed regulations by foreign censors aimed at US expression is unacceptable," he added.