Washington, July 23 (LaPresse) – The Trump administration is attacking Europe over freedom of expression, claiming that its regulation of social media and online platforms amounts to Orwellian censorship. “In Europe, thousands of people are convicted for criticizing their own governments. This Orwellian message will not deceive the United States. Censorship is not freedom,” reads a post from the U.S. State Department. “All the DSA protects is European leaders from their own people,” says the State Department regarding the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU regulation on technology and social networks. The post includes a statement from the French mission to the UN, which instead claims: “In Europe, people are free to speak, not free to spread illegal content.” Politico notes that the post echoes statements made earlier this year by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who criticized European governments at the Munich Security Conference in February. The outlet also recalls that in May, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign officials deemed complicit in censoring online content posted by Americans, with a focus on Latin America and Europe.
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