US Lobbying Against EU DSA Regulations: EU Commissioner Firmly Stands by EU's Non-Negotiable Rules
The US government has taken a firm stance against the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), with Secretary of State Marco Rubio directing US diplomats in Europe to advocate for its repeal or amendment [1][2][4]. This move is driven by concerns that the DSA imposes excessive regulatory and financial burdens on American tech companies and threatens free speech [1].
In an internal cable dated August 4, 2025, Rubio instructed diplomats to engage with EU governments, civil society, and businesses to report cases of alleged censorship related to the DSA and build opposition to the legislation [4]. The lobbying campaign includes suggestions to redefine "illegal content" narrowly, calls for withdrawal or reform of the DSA’s Code of Conduct on Disinformation, and requests to reduce or remove fines for noncompliance [4].
The US government views the DSA as a costly, restrictive framework that could hinder innovation and competitiveness of US-based digital platforms in Europe [1][2]. This contrasts with the EU's position, which emphasizes the DSA as a critical step toward digital sovereignty, online safety, and protecting citizens’ rights.
Notable tech companies like Meta, Google, and Twitter’s successor X are at the forefront of these concerns. The enforcement of the DSA against X, initially scheduled to be completed before the summer recess, is still ongoing [8]. Meta's Instagram and Facebook are also under investigation for violations of the Digital Services Act [9]. Various adult platforms such as Stripchat and Pornhub are also under scrutiny [9].
The US campaign occurs amid broader shifts in US digital and AI policy, which currently favour innovation and industry growth over heavy regulatory intervention [3]. This policy focus stands in contrast with the more regulatory approach taken by the EU in laws like the DSA and upcoming AI Act.
The absence of the DSA from the framework deal was considered a win for Europe in an agreement favouring Washington [7]. However, the US-EU trade agreement has not been finalized or ratified, with the real test of the Commission’s defiance regarding the Digital Services Act lying in its future enforcement [6].
In Europe, China's TikTok and Temu have been provisionally found to have broken the Digital Services Act [5]. Meanwhile, Europe has criticized AliExpress for dodging its obligation to stop dodgy traders [10]. The European Commission has been defiant regarding the non-negotiability of its EU regulations and standards [10].
Vice President JD Vance expressed concerns about online censorship related to the DSA in February [11], while the State Department has criticized the DSA as "Orwellian" [1]. Despite these concerns, the Trump administration continues to express opposition to the DSA [1].
References:
- The Washington Post
- The Verge
- White House AI Action Plan
- State Department cable
- European Commission Press Release
- Politico
- Reuters
- TechCrunch
- The Guardian
- EUobserver
- CNBC
- The policy-and-legislation dispute over the Digital Services Act (DSA) between the US and EU has led to intense lobbying by American tech companies such as Meta, Google, and X, who fear the Act's regulation could impose excessive financial burdens and threaten free speech, as expressed by Vice President JD Vance and the State Department.
- The US government's war-and-conflicts with the EU's DSA is centered around concerns that the Act's Code of Conduct on Disinformation, fines for noncompliance, and broad definition of illegal content could hinder innovation and competitiveness of US-based digital platforms like Meta's Instagram and Facebook, Stripchat, Pornhub, and China's TikTok and Temu, as outlined in the State Department cable and various news outlets.
- This political disagreement over the DSA, with the US advocating for its repeal or amendment and the EU pushing for its implementation, highlights the contrasting digital and AI policy approaches between the two regions—with the US favoring innovation and industry growth, and the EU prioritizing online safety and protecting citizens’ rights, as documented in The Washington Post, The Verge, White House AI Action Plan, European Commission Press Release, Politico, TechCrunch, The Guardian, EUobserver, and CNBC.
