Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, will be holding a hearing next week called "European threats to American free speech and innovation," with British politician Nigel Farage set to testify.
Jordan also invited former European Commissioner Thierry Breton to testify at the Sept. 3 hearing, Politico reported. Breton told Politico he had not received the invitation.
The Judiciary Committee argued that the U.K.'s Online Safety Act and the European Union's Digital Services Act "threaten Americans' right to speak freely online in the United States."
The EU act is meant to make the online environment safer in part by compelling tech giants to do more to tackle illegal content, including hate speech and child sexual abuse material.
President Donald Trump has threatened to enact tariffs on countries enforcing tech laws on American companies.
The Trump administration is considering imposing sanctions on European Union or member state officials responsible for implementing the Digital Services Act, two sources familiar with the matter said, over U.S. complaints that the law censors Americans and imposes costs on U.S. tech companies.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered U.S. diplomats to regularly engage with EU governments and digital services authorities to convey U.S. concerns about the act and the financial costs for U.S. companies. In May, Rubio threatened visa bans for people who "censor" speech by Americans, including on social media, and suggested the policy could target foreign officials regulating U.S. tech companies.
Farage, leader of Reform UK, has been an outspoken critic of the law. Last month, he got into a shouting match with Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., calling him "pigheaded" over a debate about free speech.
In March and April, the U.K.'s Office of Communications sent letters to U.S.-based websites requiring that they conduct "illegal content risk assessments," Politico reported.
The letters warned failure to comply could result in hefty fines and criminal penalties, leading to websites like Reddit having age-gated posts and communities in case they run afoul of the Online Safety Act, Politico reported.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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