News release

IFCN Statement: U.S. visa bans on international researchers undermine press freedom

Poynter · The International Fact-Checking Network · last updated

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute strongly opposes the Trump administration’s recent decision to deny U.S. visas to European public officials and civil society leaders. This action, which includes the blacklisting of individuals for their professional contributions to information integrity, represents a disturbing departure from historic principles of free expression. These bans punish public servants and researchers and are antithetical to democratic values. These officials are being personally targeted for civic participation under laws passed by their own democratic governments, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The work of these professionals ranges from exposing coordinated lies to defending the public’s right to reliable information. It is not censorship. The ban on the visas is, in fact, censorship.

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