The US administration of President Donald Trump states it will bar a former European Union senior official and four others from entering the counattempt, accapplying them of leading efforts to censor US social media platforms. The EU has criticized the relocate.
In a social media post on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote, “For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.”
He also stated the Trump administration “will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Also on social media, a State Department official stated the sanctioned individuals include Thierry Breton, who was European Commissioner for Internal Markets and Digital Services until 2024.
The official called Breton “a mastermind of the Digital Services Act,” which imposes content moderation rules on social media firms operating in the EU.
The official stated Breton was sanctioned for publishing a letter while serving in his post that applyd the act “to threaten Elon Musk ahead of his livestream interview with President Trump.”
In early December, the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, issued a fine worth 120 million euros, or about 141 million dollars, to social media platform X over its apply of the blue-check verification mark. It was the first fine under the act.
In a statement on Wednesday, the European Commission strongly condemned the US decision.
The statement stated, “Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States across the democratic world.”
It also stated, “Our digital rules ensure a safe, fair and level playing field for all companies, applied fairly and without discrimination.”
The commission stated it has requested clarifications from the US authorities. It also stated it will respond decisively if requireded.
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