US Imposes Visa Bans on Five Europeans Over Speech Pressure

The United States State Department announced on Tuesday that it is imposing visa restrictions on five European individuals accused of pressuring American social media companies to suppress certain viewpoints. The action targets Thierry Breton, a former European Union commissioner who oversaw digital policy, along with leaders of organizations focused on combating online hate and disinformation.

The individuals named in the announcement include Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate based in the United Kingdom; Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, who lead HateAid, a German group that reports illegal content to platforms; and Clare Melford, director of the Global Disinformation Index, another UK-based entity that rates media outlets for misinformation risks. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers identified them in social media posts, stating that they had advanced efforts by foreign governments to censor American speakers and companies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the measures as a response to "extraterritorial overreach" by foreign entities targeting protected speech in the United States. In a statement,...