The Trump administration has hit out at the UK government's plan to force social media platforms to give more visibility to the BBC and other traditional broadcasters, warning that the move could 'facilitate censorship.' The US embassy in London expressed 'serious concerns' about the proposal.
The UK government plans to force platforms to comply as audiences have increasingly moved from traditional news sources to digital channels. The government argues that the changes are necessary because unverified online news often carries misinformation and has the potential of spreading false narratives easily.
Washington warned that giving government-approved media preferential treatment could set a precedent that authoritarian countries might later use to justify controlling what people see online. The US also raised concerns that the rules could hurt independent journalists and lead to 'extraterritorial censorship of protected speech by Americans online.'
The row comes at a time when London and Washington are already at odds over how much control governments should have over social media. Britain previously announced measures regarding major platforms, while former Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended protections, though the moves faced criticism from US tech companies and Elon Musk, who called them censorship laws.