The U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday that it would deny visas to former European Commissioner Thierry Breton and three others who, according to Washington, attempted to "coerce" American social media platforms into censoring opinions unfavorable to them, LETA reported, citing AFP.
"These radical activists and weaponized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have facilitated foreign censorship measures that have, in all cases, targeted American speakers and American companies," the State Department said in a statement regarding the sanctions imposed.
Thierry Breton is a former European Commissioner for Internal Market who often clashed with Elon Musk and other tech giants, demanding they comply with EU rules.
The State Department characterized Breton as the architect of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This regulation governs content moderation and sets other standards for the largest social platforms.
American conservative politicians view the DSA as a tool for censoring right-wing views in Europe and beyond, a claim the EU denies.
The U.S. has intensified its criticism of European regulations after the European Commission fined Musk-owned platform "X" €120 million on December 5 for failing to comply with DSA requirements.
The other four individuals who will be denied U.S. visas are Imran Ahmed, the head of the British-American NGO "Center for Countering Digital Hate" (CCDH), Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon from the German organization "HateAid," and Claire Malford, the head of the UK-based non-profit organization "Global Disinformation Index" (GDI).
