American diplomatic officials stated it would refuse entry permits to five individuals, among them a ex-European Union official, for allegedly seeking to "force" American online companies into silencing opinions they oppose.
"These individuals and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states - in each case targeting American speakers and American companies," said Secretary of State the official.
The former European tech regulator remarked that a "targeted campaign" was occurring.
Officials labeled Breton as the "architect" of the European Union's online content law, which mandates speech regulations on digital platforms.
A Contentious Law
Yet, it has angered certain right-leaning Americans who see it as seeking to censor right-wing opinions. Brussels rejects this characterization.
The official has been in conflict with the billionaire entrepreneur, owner of platform X, over requirements to adhere to European regulations.
EU regulators imposed a penalty on X €120m over its verification system – the inaugural penalty under the DSA. It said the platform's system was "deceptive" because the firm was not "meaningfully verifying users".
In response, the platform prevented the European body from making adverts on its platform.
Responses and Additional Restrictions
Responding to the entry restriction, the former commissioner wrote on X: "Addressing the US: Censorship does not lie where you think it is."
Another listed individual, who leads the British Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was included in the sanctions.
US Undersecretary of State Sarah B Rogers alleged the GDI of using US taxpayer money "to encourage suppression and targeting of US expression and press".
A GDI spokesperson said the entry bans as "a repressive move on free expression and an egregious act of government censorship".
"Their actions today are unethical, unlawful, and contrary to American values," they stated.
Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-governmental organization that fights online hate and false information, was similarly issued a ban.
The undersecretary labeled Mr Ahmed a "primary partner with efforts to misuse the government against American people".
Also subject to bans were two executives of a German organization, which the US officials said aided in implementing the DSA.
In a statement, the two leaders described it as an "act of repression by a administration that is increasingly disregarding the legal principles".
"We will not be intimidated by a state that uses claims of suppression to silence those who defend human rights," they added.
Policy Justification
Rubio said that action was initiated to enact entry bans 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 America First diplomatic stance opposes infringements of US autonomy. Foreign-imposed regulations by foreign censors targeting US expression is unacceptable," he affirmed.
