Former EU Official and Anti-Disinformation Researchers Denied Entry to the U.S. by Trump Administration
On Tuesday, the Trump Administration made good on its warning to take action against foreign individuals involved in content moderation. The State Department announced sanctions that prevent former EU commissioner Thierry Breton and four researchers from entering the US, while also sending a clear message to others. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “The State Department stands ready and willing to expand today’s list if other foreign actors do not reverse course.”
Among those banned is Imran Ahmed, who heads the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), an organization focused on identifying and combating online hate speech. This group faced legal action from Elon Musk, which was dismissed in early 2024. Judge Charles Breyer noted that X’s lawsuit aimed to “punish CCDH for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp. — and perhaps in order to dissuade others.”
Breton has been described as “a mastermind of the Digital Services Act” by US Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers, who highlighted a letter he sent to Elon Musk before a livestreamed event with Donald Trump, reminding him of X’s legal responsibilities under the DSA regarding illegal content and misinformation.
The other researchers affected include Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, leaders of HateAid, a nonprofit that attempted to sue X in 2023 for not removing antisemitic content, and Clare Melford, who heads the Global Disinformation Index, an organization dedicated to addressing the systems that facilitate disinformation.
The press release detailing the sanctions is titled “Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex,” a term used by Republicans like House Judiciary Committee leader Jim Jordan, who have opposed efforts to implement fact-checking and misinformation research on social media platforms. Earlier this month, it was reported that the State Department instructed US consulates to consider denying H-1B visa applications from those involved in content moderation. Additionally, the Office of the US Trade Representative recently threatened retaliation against European tech companies like Spotify and SAP for what it deemed “discriminatory” practices in regulating US tech platforms.
