Congressional panel examines European censorship laws threatening Americans’ free speech online

The House Judiciary Committee convened a hearing Wednesday to scrutinize European online censorship laws, as experts warn they pose an unprecedented threat to free speech protections in the U.S. and globally.

The congressional panel said it is seeking to highlight how the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act and the European Union’s Digital Services Act “threaten Americans’ right to speak freely online in the United States.”

Witnesses were expected to include the leader of the U.K.’s Reform party, Nigel Farage; The App Association’s President Morgan Reed; and Alliance Defending Freedom International legal counsel Lorcán Price.

In testimony shared with The Lion, Price offered a pointed critique of the Digital Services Act, suggesting the acronym DSA could just as easily stand for “Delete. Silence. Abolish.” 

Although the Act’s stated goal is to “prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation,” Price said in reality, it seeks “worldwide narrative control in the digital age.” 

Price cited troubling examples of European interference, such as when former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton threatened Elon Musk to prevent his livestream interview with then-candidate Donald Trump on X, and instances where people have been prosecuted for posting Bible verses online. 

Such government pressure, Price argued, is compelling internet platforms to abandon their role as “digital public squares” and pre-emptively silence speech globally that could be offensive to European bureaucrats.  

“This is an affront to the First Amendment – your right to speak will be curtailed if an unelected European bureaucrat believes it is ‘misinformation,’ ‘disinformation,’ ‘information manipulation’ or a threat to ‘information integrity,’” his testimony reads. 

Thus, the Digital Services Act is not merely a “European problem” but the “frontline of a global struggle” over free speech and religious freedom and whether American companies are forced to “help Europe silence speech worldwide.”  

“The DSA creates a web of censors, a vast web of censors,” ADF’s Jeremy Tedesco, who leads a task force combating global censorship, told The Lion and other reporters ahead of the Wednesday hearing. He described a sprawling censorship apparatus with the unelected European Commission at its center, surrounded by digital services coordinators, trusted flaggers, monitoring reporters, NGOs and state-backed regulators. 

“This structure deputizes activist groups and bureaucrats to patrol online speech, forcing American platforms like Google, Meta and X to obey European censorship orders or face devastating consequences,” he said, noting companies in violation face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue – totaling billions of dollars. 

“Faced with that kind of pressure, companies will inevitably overcensor, silencing lawful speech rather than risking economic ruin.” 

Because of the incentives for companies to overcensor, Tedesco said platforms must “filter, flag, and throttle speech before it ever reaches the public.” 

He said it forces companies to train algorithms to suppress content deemed in violation of the European Union’s shifting and unclear standards of what constitutes hate speech and misinformation.  

Asked by The Lion what concrete actions Congress can take to target the Digital Services Act, Tedesco said Wednesday’s House hearing will be “critical” for transparency on what the Digital Services Act is, and that Congress could even consider legislation to create incentives for companies to favor more speech rather than censorship. 

He also said the Trump administration could continue to push back on European censorship laws through trade negotiations with the European Union.  

The Trump administration in recent weeks has escalated its campaign against laws such as the Digital Services Act. Reuters reported in August the administration had directed U.S. diplomats in Europe to launch an opposition campaign against the Digital Services Act, which it views as censoring American citizens and companies.  

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump personally threatened countries “that attack our incredible American Tech companies,” including through digital services legislation.  

“I put all countries with Digital Taxes, Legislation, Rules, or Regulations, on notice that unless these discriminatory actions are removed, I, as President of the United States, will impose substantial additional Tariffs on that country’s Exports to the U.S.A,” he wrote, adding he would also institute export restrictions on American technology and chips. 

“America, and American Technology Companies, are neither the ‘piggy bank’ nor the ‘doormat’ of the World any longer.” 

The Lion has reached out to the European Commission for comment on Wednesday’s hearing.