EU Outraged: US Visa Bans on Tech Regulators Spark Digital Sovereignty Clash

• The US State Department imposed visa bans on five European figures, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, accusing them of coercing US social media platforms.
• The EU, France, Germany, and Spain sharply condemned the US sanctions, defending Europe's regulatory autonomy and digital sovereignty.
• Thierry Breton, seen as the "mastermind" of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), compared the US action to McCarthyism, emphasizing the DSA's democratic adoption.
• The DSA aims to ensure a safe, fair digital space by imposing content moderation and transparency, which US conservatives view as censorship.
• Other targeted individuals include Imran Ahmed (Center for Countering Digital Hate), Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Josephine Ballon (HateAid), and Clare Melford (Global Disinformation Index).

Why It Matters: US visa bans on EU tech regulators ignite a major dispute over digital sovereignty and regulatory power.