Trump administration attacks UK plans to boost traditional media on social platforms
US embassy says Downing Street’s plan to give BBC, ITV and other established media more online visibility carries risk of ‘censorship’ The Trump administration has raised “serious concerns” over Downing Street’s plan to force YouTube and other digital platforms to hand more prominence to established broadcasters, warning the move risks “facilitating censorship”. In a pointed intervention, the US…
The Trump administration has expressed "serious concerns" over the UK government's plan to grant more prominence to traditional media outlets like BBC and ITV on social media platforms. The US embassy in London stated that imposing such a move could lead to "censorship," "viewpoint-based censorship," and potentially undermine "independent journalists".
This intervention came as the UK government proposed new rules to combat misinformation online, as people increasingly turn to less regulated platforms such as X, YouTube, and TikTok. The UK government's consultation on the matter suggests that it might consider legislation if the platforms do not act to prioritize trustworthy content.
However, the US administration worries that this plan risks removing the content of "independent journalists" and could amount to "extraterritorial censorship of protected speech by Americans online." The US government has urged the UK to ensure safeguards are in place to prevent biases and preferences of UK officials and third-party organizations from influencing the plan, which could disadvantage independent or minority-viewpoint journalism.
The US state department emphasized that preserving a free, open internet and protecting freedom of expression online remain top priorities for Washington.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
