New Congressional Report Reveals EU Influence on Social Media Moderation

A recent report from Congress has brought to light some previously undisclosed aspects of the European Union’s ongoing efforts to sway how social media companies handle content moderation, particularly concerning legitimate speech in the U.S.

The House Judiciary Committee’s report, released on Tuesday, is based on confidential documents acquired from major tech companies via subpoena. Lawmakers assert that the findings demonstrate how the European Commission has pressured platforms to implement more stringent content moderation policies that disproportionately affect conservative views, which has, in turn, led to the suppression of legitimate speech in the U.S.

“While often framed as a fight against so-called ‘hate speech’ and ‘disinformation,’ the European Commission has sought to censor true information and political discourse on some of the most significant policy debates in recent history, including the coronavirus pandemic, mass migration, and transgender issues,” the report claims. “After 10 years, the European Commission has managed to control a substantial portion of global online discourse, effectively suppressing any speech that challenges its authority.”

Since early 2020, the European Commission has held a plethora of undisclosed meetings with major platforms like X, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, urging them to change their content moderation policies.

One significant finding notes that in early 2020, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice-President Vera Jurova pushed platforms to eliminate content that contradicted the official narrative related to COVID-19 and vaccinations.

The situation escalated after the Digital Services Act (DSA) was enacted in 2024, intensifying European campaigns against American speech. The new regulations impose tough requirements on platforms, compelling them to monitor content deemed harmful by government officials.

In response to the DSA, TikTok updated its global community guidelines, leading to the suppression of what it classified as “common” conservative speech regarding transgender matters, including the assertion that “there are only two genders.”

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, Jurova traveled to California to confer with tech leaders about U.S. political content moderation practices. When questioned, EU representatives implied that conversations would encompass both EU and U.S. elections.

Last December, the European Commission imposed a fine of about $140 million on Elon Musk’s platform X, claiming that it misled users with its paid verification system and failed to give researchers sufficient data access.

The report highlights that the European Commission hasn’t solely relied on formal enforcement actions; it has also leaned on so-called “voluntary” initiatives and left-leaning NGOs to push platforms to censor valid speech.

According to the report, EU officials frequently gathered representatives from national regulators, NGOs, and platforms ahead of elections to determine which political perspectives should be stifled. Additionally, the European Commission initiated a “rapid response system” that allows “government-approved third parties” to make priority censorship requests.

In a related move, the Trump administration has been taking measures against foreign entities accused of infringing on American speech, even sanctioning five European figures alleged to have pressured U.S. companies into suppressing protected content.

Among those sanctioned was former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, a key figure in the DSA rollout. He invoked the law while serving in a role that included threats directed at Musk concerning a livestream with President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, recent regulatory actions by the French government, including a raid on X’s Paris office linked to a criminal investigation, suggest an ongoing tightening of their stance on online speech.

“EU regulations do not apply outside the EU. Our digital lives, our own rules. The safety of our children, the protection of our citizens,” stated the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In response to the report, Sarah Rogers, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, remarked that she is looking forward to addressing the issue at the upcoming Munich Security Conference.