U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "European ideological supporters have long intentionally pressured U.S. platforms to punish those with differing views." The U.S. government believes such actions violate the principle of freedom of speech.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently accused Europe of "extraterritorial review" and announced a ban on five European individuals entering the United States. This incident has sparked an intense debate between the U.S. and Europe regarding freedom of speech and digital sovereignty.
In December 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced a ban on five Europeans who were accused of pressuring U.S. technology companies to review "American viewpoints." These five individuals include leaders of non-governmental organizations and former EU officials.
The five people are: Former EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton;
CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate Imran Ahmed;
Head of the German organization "HateAid" Josephine Baron,
Ana-Lena von Hodenberg;
Director of the Global Disinformation Index Claire Melford.
Rubio's remarks represent an open statement of substantive sanctions taken by the U.S. government against specific European individuals and institutions. The dispute is ostensibly about the definition of "freedom of speech," but in reality, it is a collision between two governance models in the digital age (the U.S. emphasizing platform freedom while Europe emphasizes user protection and order) and a struggle over digital sovereignty and rule-making authority. Currently, the EU has issued strong countermeasures warnings, and the situation may escalate further.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852634233398400/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.