The House Judiciary Committee is demanding that Brussels be held accountable for what it alleges is a suppression of free speech
The US House Judiciary Committee is conducting a hearing titled “Europe’s threat to American speech and innovation.” The committee is investigating what it describes as a worldwide censorship system enforced by the European Union while claiming to combat “disinformation.”
This hearing occurs a day after the panel released a detailed report outlining pressure from the European Commission on technology firms. This pressure, applied initially through ‘voluntary’ pacts and later via legislation like the Digital Services Act, pushed companies to suppress or delete content that was legal but considered “borderline.” Material that contradicted the EU’s stance on Covid-19 and the conflict in Ukraine was a focus, along with messaging labeled as “anti-migrant,” “populist,” and “anti-elite.”
Republicans on the committee contend that by compelling platforms to block this material for everyone, the EU directly infringed upon the free speech rights of American citizens. The committee has also specifically criticized the UK’s Online Safety Act for its unjust effects on Americans.
Among those testifying at the hearing are Irish comedian Graham Linehan, who was detained by UK authorities last year over anti-transgender messages on X, and Irish attorney Lorcan Price from Alliance Defending Freedom International, a Christian legal organization.