Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr took the stage at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday, vowing to protect American technology companies from what he described as “excessive” European regulations. Speaking to a packed audience of tech industry leaders and analysts, Carr criticized the European Union’s approach to tech governance, particularly its Digital Services Act (DSA), arguing that it threatens free speech and imposes undue burdens on U.S. firms. His remarks underscore a growing transatlantic rift over how to regulate the digital economy, with Carr calling for a “level and fair playing field” to support American innovation, according to a CNBC report.
Carr zeroed in on the DSA, a landmark EU law designed to curb illegal and harmful online content, which he claimed clashes with American values. “We’re returning to our First Amendment roots, where we’re returning to our free speech tradition,” he said, framing the U.S. stance as a counterpoint to what he sees as Europe’s overreach. He suggested that online free speech has eroded since the Covid-19 pandemic, a trend he linked to heightened content moderation. “From President [Donald] Trump to me, across the government, we are encouraging our technology companies to stop the censorship we saw the last couple of years,” Carr added, aligning his position with the administration’s broader agenda.
The FCC chairman expressed specific concern about the DSA’s implications, warning that it risks imposing “excessive rules” that stifle expression. “The censorship that is potentially coming down the pipe from the DSA is something that is incompatible with both our free speech tradition in America and the commitments that these technology companies have made in the diversity of opinions,” he said. Carr’s comments echo sentiments from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who last month at an AI summit in Paris criticized European regulations for creating compliance headaches for American firms. They also follow President Trump’s February 21 directive threatening tariffs on Europe to counter what he called “overseas extortion” through digital taxes and fines.
The EU has not taken the U.S. pressure lying down. Reports indicate the bloc is prepared to deploy a new “anti-coercion” instrument to retaliate against economic threats, a move that could escalate tensions. Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for technological sovereignty, security, and democracy, sidestepped Carr’s critique during a subsequent panel. Instead, she emphasized Europe’s focus on boosting competitiveness and innovation. “We will propose several packages where we are revising our rules,” Virkkunen said, hinting at reforms later this year. She also advocated for a digital single market to streamline tech and telecom regulations across the EU, a nod to a recent report by former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi calling for radical reforms to keep pace with the U.S. and China.
Carr’s remarks spotlight a broader U.S. pushback against European tech policies, which American leaders view as punitive toward their companies. “It’s a worry, I think, here for the people of Europe, but [also] for U.S. technology companies that do business here,” he said, framing the DSA as a potential barrier to transatlantic commerce. As the EU doubles down on enforcement—highlighted by Virkkunen’s earlier assertion that the Commission is “fully enforcing” its tech rules—the stage is set for a contentious debate over whose regulatory vision will prevail in the global digital landscape.
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