Berlin, Germany — The United States has imposed travel sanctions on several European figures involved in combating online hate speech, a move that critics say effectively punishes individuals for opposing digital extremism rather than engaging in censorship. Among those sanctioned are leaders of HateAid, a German nonprofit focused on countering online harassment and hate speech, along with British NGO representatives and a former EU commissioner involved in digital regulation.
According to the U.S. State Department, the sanctions stem from allegations that these individuals promoted policies pressuring U.S.-based tech platforms to remove content deemed illegal under European law. Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the action as a response to what he called “extraterritorial censorship,” arguing that European regulations unfairly target American viewpoints and companies.
However, the sanctioned individuals reject that characterization. HateAid leaders Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon said the U.S. is escalating a political conflict by targeting civil society actors working against digital violence. Notably, neither the State Department nor Rubio provided evidence that the sanctioned activists personally censored speech, instead citing their support for enforcement of EU digital laws requiring platforms to remove illegal content such as incitement to violence and hate crimes.
The sanctions follow recent EU penalties against Elon Musk’s platform X for transparency violations, intensifying tensions between Washington and Brussels over tech regulation. Critics argue the U.S. action signals tolerance for hate speech abroad by penalizing those attempting to limit it, raising concerns about free expression being reframed to shield harassment and extremism rather than protect democratic discourse.
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