EU’s Kallas Refutes US Criticism Regarding Freedom of Speech in Bloc
Brussels has faced sustained scrutiny over its regulatory approach to online content, particularly the 2022 Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes strict content moderation and transparency requirements on large digital platforms. US officials and technology executives have accused the EU of overreach, claiming the legislation risks restricting free expression, including for American social media users.
At the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President J.D. Vance previously criticized Europe for drifting away from what he described as its foundational democratic values. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has also sharply criticized EU regulatory actions, especially after the bloc fined his platform, X.
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed concerns during his Munich remarks, warning about political and cultural trends that he said were weakening Western institutions.
Responding during a panel discussion, Kallas pointed to international press freedom rankings. “Coming from a country that is second in the Press Freedom Index, to hear criticism of press freedom from a country that is 58th in this list, it is interesting,” she said. According to the latest Reporters Without Borders index, Estonia ranks second globally, while the US is ranked in the high 50s.
Kallas, who previously served as Estonia’s prime minister, defended the EU’s regulatory framework as consistent with democratic principles. Estonia, which joined the EU in 2004 after regaining independence from the Soviet Union, has taken a firm stance toward Russian media influence since 2022. The government has blocked numerous Russian news websites and moved to phase out Russian as a language of instruction in schools.
These policies have drawn criticism from Moscow. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has described Estonia’s measures as “forced assimilation,” while Tallinn maintains they are necessary for national security and social cohesion.
The exchange highlights growing transatlantic friction over digital governance, media regulation, and competing interpretations of free speech standards within Western democracies.
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