UK campaigners among five denied US visas

December 24, 2025

The Trump administration has denied US visas to five individuals involved in digital regulation and anti-disinformation work, including two British campaigners who lead organizations monitoring online hate and misinformation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the bans by claiming these individuals represent a "global censorship-industrial complex" that violates American sovereignty by attempting to restrict speech on US tech platforms. Among those targeted are a former EU tech regulator who helped create Europe's Digital Services Act and leaders of German anti-hate organizations, all of whom the State Department accuses of coercing American companies into suppressing free speech.

Who is affected

Imran Ahmed, head of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and former Labour adviser
Clare Melford, CEO of the Global Disinformation Index (GDI)
Thierry Breton, former EU Commissioner and tech regulator
Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, CEOs of HateAid (German anti-online hate organization)
European governments and the European Commission
American tech platforms and social media firms subject to international regulation

What action is being taken

The US State Department is denying visas to the five individuals
The European Commission has requested clarifications from the US
Elon Musk's X platform is blocking the European Commission from sharing advertisements on its site

Why it matters

This represents a significant escalation in tensions between the US and Europe over tech regulation and content moderation policies. The visa bans signal the Trump administration's aggressive stance against international efforts to regulate American tech companies, framing such efforts as attacks on free speech and American sovereignty. The move threatens diplomatic relations with European allies and raises questions about the future of transatlantic cooperation on digital policy, as European leaders view their regulations as democratically adopted sovereign measures rather than censorship attempts.

What's next

The European Commission has stated it will "respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures." Beyond this statement of intent, no explicit next steps are provided in the article regarding specific actions, timelines, or planned responses from either the affected individuals or European governments.

Read full article from source: BBC