US Cracks Down on Foreign Censorship: New Visa Policy Targets Free Speech Violators Abroad

[Negita43]

How does that sit with:

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects several fundamental rights, including the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. It prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict these freedoms.

 

He might think he's projecting American Power but all he's doing is showing American Hypocrisy.

 

But I do notice it only appears to restrict Congress not the President.

Congress needs to assert its authority and not walk into an Trump Autocracy. Who knows where that would lead?

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Nice to see an old timer in that pic with a revolver. Ruger 44 looks like. I say he is an oldtimer because all these kids today have orgasms over plastic plstols, and only us old dudes and hunters shoot wheel guns.

I don't see a revolver!

[Callmeishmael]

I suspect that the key words here are "silence U.S. citizens and companies".  This is all about protecting Facebook and Google's right to collect advertising revenue and do targeted marketing.  

 

By phrasing it as a "freedom of speech" law, they can disguise their true intent.

[Yagoda]

14 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't see a revolver!

The pic of all the guys, right side, stainless 4 inch

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

The pic of all the guys, right side, stainless 4 inch

Yep, I see it now Smith and Wesson 327 38/357 with 4" barrel.

[Yagoda]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Yep, I see it now Smith and Wesson 327 38/357 with 4" barrel.

Naw bro, thats a stainless Ruger, look at the front of the barrel and the lack of Hammer mounted firing pin.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Debate you any time LOL. Your low intellectual level is best illustrated by your political positions.

First golden rule of debate is never throw insults but there again you in a class of your own. 

[jas007]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

US Cracks Down on Foreign Censorship: New Visa Policy Targets Free Speech Violators Abroad

 

Foreign nationals accused of stifling the free speech rights of Americans will no longer be granted visas to enter the United States, according to a bold new policy announced by Senator Marco Rubio. In a firm statement shared on X, Rubio made it clear that individuals who are “complicit in censoring Americans” are no longer welcome. “For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights,” Rubio declared. He added, “Foreigners who undermine those rights should not enjoy the privilege of travelling to our country.”

 

The policy is aimed at pushing back against foreign governments and officials who Rubio claims have taken aggressive steps to silence U.S. citizens and companies. “Even as we take action to reject censorship at home, we see troubling instances of foreign governments and foreign officials picking up the slack,” he said. “In some instances, foreign officials have taken flagrant censorship actions against US tech companies and US citizens and residents when they have no authority to do so.” He emphasized that it is “unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil.”

 

Adding to this growing friction, Samuel Samson, a senior adviser in the State Department’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, singled out Britain and several European countries as examples of deteriorating respect for democratic values. Samson accused them of becoming “a hotbed of digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous other assaults on democratic self-governance.” In an official article titled The Need for Civilizational Allies in Europe, published on the State Department’s Substack, Samson argued that democratic backsliding in Europe poses a direct risk to U.S. security and interests. “Europe’s democratic backsliding not only impacts European citizens but increasingly affects American security and economic ties, along with the free speech rights of American citizens and companies,” he wrote.

 

The Trump administration has taken a particular interest in perceived censorship abroad, sending a five-person delegation led by Samson to the UK in March to investigate free speech concerns. During the visit, U.S. officials met with anti-abortion activists, officials from Ofcom, and representatives from the Foreign Office. Samson cited the arrests of two British citizens, Livia Tossici-Bolt and Adam Smith-Connor, who were detained for silently praying outside abortion clinics, as indicators of troubling trends. He also pointed to cases in which British citizens were arrested over online posts criticizing migration policy, saying such actions reflected a crackdown on dissenting voices.

 

In his article, Samson further criticized Germany for establishing “elaborate systems to monitor and censor online speech under the guise of combating disinformation and preventing offence.” He accused the European Union of weaponizing the Digital Services Act to “silence dissident voices through Orwellian content moderation,” rather than focusing on its stated aim of protecting children from harmful content.

 

Echoing these concerns, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance warned during the Munich Security Conference in February that Europe was drifting away from its foundational democratic values. “The threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values — values shared with the United States of America,” he said, signals a crisis of shared ideals.

 

In a rare move in March, the State Department issued an official statement voicing concern over freedom of expression in the United Kingdom, especially in the context of anti-abortion advocacy. The message from Washington is clear: the U.S. will no longer turn a blind eye to foreign efforts to stifle the voices of its citizens, even when those actions originate from long-time allies.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-05-29

 

 

 

I'm not going to read through this thread, but this sounds like a good idea to me.  Punish the regimes that stifle free speech.  I can think of a few good examples.  It's too bad for the average tourists, who have nothing to do with the nonsense, but maybe their leaders will wake up and see the light?  Doubtful, but why not try? 

 

 

[Yagoda]

19 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

First golden rule of debate is never throw insults but there again you in a class of your own. 

Debate rules? Im from the USA, that means dont bring a knife to a gunfight

 

 

[BLMFem]

4 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Two Amendments underpin all of our freedoms. The First Amendment and the Second Amendment.

 

The Democrats and Socialists hate both

Don't forget the Marxists!

[BLMFem]

Had one look at the photo in the OP and immediately read Rubio's mind:

 

"Oh god, what have I become!"

[mikeymike100]

" Samuel Samson, a senior adviser in the State Department’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, singled out Britain and several European countries as examples of deteriorating respect for democratic values. Samson accused them of becoming “a hotbed of digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous other assaults on democratic self-governance"

 

WELL SAID!! The UK arresting over 30 people a day for social media posts is a great example!

[SLOWHAND225]

Since when does our 1st amendment rights as an American extend beyond our border ?  Since never.

Technically they do, I mean, you can say whatever you want. Just don't forget, that ability also comes with consequences.

[WEBBYB808]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Which Americans have had their free speech restricted in the UK by PM Starmer?

An American  sure can't speak freely in Thailand!

[Purdey]

There seems to be an assumption that the American Constitution applies to all countries. It doesn't. Get over it.

[Dionigi]

Muricans free speech end at its borders just like foreigners free speech ends when they cross us borders into the states. As in we don't like what you say visa revoked flight out. 

[renaissanc]

8 hours ago, Tug said:

The hypocrisy is astounding trump is stifling free speech at home now this spare me!!

As far as I know, he's only cracking down on the anti-semitic raging of university students and their demonstrations in support for terrorist organisations. If you were President, and assuming that you aren't a Democrat-Marxist, you would probably do the same.

8 hours ago, Tug said:

The hypocrisy is astounding trump is stifling free speech at home now this spare me!!

 

[worgeordie]

There's going to be a lot of problems for people trying to 

enter U S A  for  football World cup ,best just to watch the

matches in Canada and Mexico or you could end up in

El Salvador , especially if you have any tattoos

 

regards worgeordie 

[candide]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

The message from Washington is clear: the U.S. will no longer turn a blind eye to foreign efforts to stifle the voices of its citizens, even when those actions originate from long-time allies.

Good. Trump will surely not longer turn a blind eye to Russia for efforts to stifle the voices of its citizen! 

[Paul Henry]

Yagoda,It was an Irishman who said "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight" Not an American.

[Yagoda]

1 hour ago, WEBBYB808 said:

An American  sure can't speak freely in Thailand!

They dont censor Google

[BLMFem]

53 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

As far as I know, he's only cracking down on the anti-semitic raging of university students and their demonstrations in support for terrorist organisations. If you were President, and assuming that you aren't a Democrat-Marxist, you would probably do the same.

 

Seeing the local MAGA crowd use the term Marxist like it's going out of fashion is quite amusing and very revealing.

Completely clueless.😄

[wwest5829]

6 hours ago, UWEB said:

So the fascist Regime in the US has set an end to free speech in their Country, but will control free Speech in the rest of of the World?

You just can’t make this stuff up. Reality is more ridiculous.

[soalbundy]

5 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Nice to see an old timer in that pic with a revolver. Ruger 44 looks like. I say he is an oldtimer because all these kids today have orgasms over plastic plstols, and only us old dudes and hunters shoot wheel guns.

What's a wheel gun? If you lived in a civilized country you wouldn't need a gun.

[Yagoda]

13 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

What's a wheel gun? If you lived in a civilized country you wouldn't need a gun.

A revolver. We arent civilized, no human is. Thats why we have guns.

[soalbundy]

10 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

A revolver. We arent civilized, no human is. Thats why we have guns.

Oh dear, an American.

[billd766]

10 hours ago, Tug said:

The hypocrisy is astounding trump is stifling free speech at home now this spare me!!

IMHO. the rest of the world will simply ignore him.

 

Contrary to his belief and that pf his acolytes and toadies,

 

Trump is NOT the lord of the universe, nor does he rule the rest of the world, even if the bootlickers and yes people encourage him to believe it.

 

The current US government should keep its beaky nose out of other countries business.

[billd766]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

No more visits from Labour ministers then ..... Sir Kier will not be happy with that one!

Equally no state visit from Trump either, or anybody else in government in the USA.

[DonniePeverley]

The US has massive lawsuit  nature with regards to free speech. Go say something against someone and you will be sued. Try supporting Palestine and see what happens over there openly. 

 

There is no such thing as free speech there. 

 

Is there free speech in China, India? There are curbs on free speech in Thailand too. 

 

These are just trouble makers online who are pushing this narrative that the US intends to take action on these matters, on the usual social media platform. It's utter nonsense. 

 

FREE SPEECH usually means I WANT TO BE RACIST. 

 

Me thinks the broader picture is that there are US social media apps (obvious which few) who are fearing regulation and heavy fines are coming for them. 

[jesimps]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

Oh dear, I guess Keir Rodney Starmer won't be welcome then, having locked up multiple Brits for lengthy sentences for questioning his immigration policy on FaceBook. 

 

Who's he going to send in his place? Lammy? Rayner? I can't imagine Trump/Vance tolerating those fools for too long.  

 

Good to see The GOP standing up for freedom of speech. It's refreshing. We need someone to stand up to Labour's well established position on it, summed up beautifully by Idi Amin. 

 

 

 

Thought for an awful moment that Lammy had been made Chief of the Defence Staff !