The US State Department has reportedly ordered diplomats to campaign against the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) over free speech concerns, according to an internal cable obtained by Reuters. The directive accuses the EU law of stifling free speech and imposing unfair costs on US tech companies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly issued this directive, labeling the legislation a threat to America’s free-speech tradition and a financial burden on US platforms.
The DSA, which came into force in August 2023, is designed to enhance online safety by requiring platforms to remove content deemed illegal, including hate speech, misinformation, and child sexual abuse material. This regulation applies to 19 major platforms, including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Alphabet’s Google, Amazon, and Apple’s App Store. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to 6% of global revenue, a significant financial penalty for large tech firms.
Washington has argued that the DSA disproportionately targets US companies and restrictions on free expression. Rubio’s cable calls the legislation a threat to America’s free-speech tradition and a financial burden on US platforms. Diplomats have reportedly been instructed to meet with EU officials to push for the law to be repealed or amended. They have also been told to challenge definitions of ‘illegal content’ and weaken enforcement tools like ‘trusted flaggers’ and the Code of Conduct on Disinformation, which has been described by critics as a ‘global censorship law.’
In July, the US State Department posted on X that the ‘Orwellian’ DSA is used to convict thousands for criticizing governments and shields EU leaders from accountability. In February, US Vice President J.D. Vance said the law prevents adults from accessing alternative opinions labeled as misinformation, warning that US companies could block EU users to avoid compliance. Last year, Russia also accused the EU of censorship after Brussels banned several Russian outlets. The Foreign Ministry called it ‘political censorship’ by the neoliberal West aimed at suppressing dissent. Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Brussels lacks arguments to convince its citizens and instead blocks alternative views. Telegram founder Pavel Durov said in 2024 that ‘Russian Telegram users enjoy more freedom than Europeans.’ Durov is currently on trial in France over allegations of spreading illegal content through his platform.