U.S. bars Europeans it says pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online

The initial coverage treats this as a diplomatic spat, as if the only story is Washington picking a fight with Europe. But the larger question is why foreign officials felt comfortable leaning on American platforms to throttle Americans’ speech in the first place.

Conservatives do not claim tech companies are neutral, and they do not need to be. What matters is whether government power, even indirectly, is being used to shape what citizens can say and hear. When overseas regulators export their standards through quiet pressure campaigns, it blurs accountability and corrodes public trust at home.

Barring officials is a blunt tool, but it signals sovereignty over American debate and a commitment to rule of law. Allies are still allies, yet national security includes information security. The principle is simple: foreign leverage should not decide the boundaries of lawful American speech.