The U.S. House Judiciary Committee has released interim findings accusing the European Commission of waging a long-running campaign to censor online speech, including content produced by Americans.
The report, titled The Foreign Censorship Threat, Part II: Europe’s Decade-Long Campaign to Censor the Global Internet and How it Harms American Speech in the United States, alleges that the European Union’s executive branch has pressured major technology companies to reshape their content moderation policies worldwide.
According to the House Judiciary Committee, internal documents obtained through subpoenas show that European officials have held more than 100 private meetings with major tech platforms since at least 2020. Lawmakers say those meetings were used to push companies into adopting stricter speech controls that affect users in the United States.
The report claims the European Commission has gone beyond regulating content within Europe and has attempted to influence global moderation standards, including those applied to American users.
Investigators say U.S. political speech has been a particular focus, with officials allegedly targeting posts and commentary related to elections, immigration, COVID-19 policies, and transgender issues.
The committee argues that these efforts have disproportionately affected conservative viewpoints and may have influenced political discourse both in Europe and the United States.
While the European Commission maintains that its actions are aimed at combating hate speech and disinformation, the report questions whether legitimate political debate and factual information are being suppressed in the process.
Lawmakers pointed to enforcement actions as evidence of growing pressure. Last December, the Commission fined a major social media platform nearly six percent of its global revenue, a penalty critics described as retaliation for resisting stricter speech controls.
The report says the fine was part of a broader pattern of regulatory and legislative efforts designed to expand the EU’s influence over online content beyond its borders.
Committee investigators also dispute claims that the Commission’s censorship programs are voluntary or based on industry consensus.
According to the findings, companies often faced implicit threats of fines, lawsuits, or regulatory action if they failed to comply with European demands.
“These programs are not voluntary,” the report states, arguing that tech firms were effectively coerced into adopting EU standards worldwide.
The committee says this pressure has created a system in which foreign regulators shape what Americans are allowed to see and say online, raising constitutional and sovereignty concerns.
As part of its ongoing investigation, the committee plans to continue examining foreign censorship laws, regulatory practices, and court orders that affect U.S.-based platforms and users.
Lawmakers involved in the probe describe the issue as a fundamental threat to American values.
They argue that allowing foreign governments to dictate speech standards poses what they call an “existential risk” to free expression in the United States.
The committee has pledged to pursue additional subpoenas, hearings, and legislative responses aimed at countering what it sees as growing international pressure on American speech.
Supporters of the investigation say the findings highlight the need for stronger protections for online expression and clearer limits on foreign regulatory authority.
Critics, meanwhile, argue that international cooperation is necessary to combat harmful content in a global digital environment.
The debate is expected to intensify as Congress weighs possible responses to the report and considers new measures to safeguard First Amendment rights in the digital age.
