US bans five Europeans over online speech row

The United States has barred five European figures from entering the country, accusing them of pushing tech companies to censor American views online.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the people targeted had led efforts to pressure US platforms to censor or limit content they disagree with. The move is part of a wider attack by the Trump administration on European rules aimed at tackling hate speech and misinformation.

Those named include former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index, and two leaders of the German group HateAid, Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg.

Washington strongly opposes the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which forces large online platforms to act against illegal content, hate speech and disinformation. US officials say the law harms free speech and unfairly targets American tech firms.

Breton reacted angrily, comparing the ban to the anti-communist “witch hunts” led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, also condemned the decision, saying the DSA does not apply outside the EU and does not target the United States.

The visa bans mean the five people are generally not allowed to enter the US and may face action if they are already there.

^{Former European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton © Thomas SAMSON / AFP}