General

The US State Department announced it will deny visas to five individuals, including a former European Union commissioner, for attempting to pressure American social media companies into limiting viewpoints they disagree with. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have pushed for censorship crackdowns by foreign governments, specifically targeting American speakers and businesses." Thierry Breton, who used to be the chief technology regulator at the European Commission, claimed that a "witch hunt" is occurring. The State Department labeled Breton as the "mastermind" behind the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires social media companies to moderate content. This act has upset some conservatives in the US, who believe it aims to silence right-wing voices, a claim that Brussels denies. Breton has had disputes with Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and owner of X, regarding compliance with EU regulations. Recently, the European Commission fined X €120 million (£105 million) for its blue tick verification system, marking the first penalty under the DSA. The Commission stated that the blue tick system was “deceptive” because the platform did not verify users adequately. In retaliation, Musk's company restricted the Commission from advertising on its site. Following the visa ban, Breton posted on X, saying, “To our American friends: Censorship isn’t where you think it is.”