Mmastodon WorldEU Politics first seen 5 h ago, last 4 h ago, peak #3
Canada, EU and Lithuania drop sponsorship of Disinfo2026 conference
Original: “What this amounts to is a purported defender of free speech at the state department using the enormous power of the US
Canada, the European Union and Lithuania have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Disinfo2026 conference. Critics say the move follows pressure from a US State Department official who is nominally a defender of free speech, but who is accused of using the power of the US government to discourage Americans from criticising their own government. Commentators see the episode as evidence of growing friction between Washington and traditional allies over disinformation policy and the limits of acceptable government pressure on speech.
Why now: The withdrawal of sponsorship by close Western allies signals a notable diplomatic rift over free speech and disinformation policy at a time when the US administration claims to champion open debate.
US State DepartmentCanadaEuropean UnionLithuaniaDisinfo2026
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