Carnegie Europe: Taking the Pulse: Are Western Democracies Failing Free Speech?

By Rym Momtaz, ed.

The battle over free speech has taken center stage since U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused Europe of censorship. From travel bans to social media regulation, especially around the Israel-Palestine conflict, are liberal democratic governments weaponizing free speech?

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Natalie Alkiviadou

Senior Research Fellow, The Future of Free Speech, Vanderbilt University

In Western democracies, the fundamental right to freedom of expression is becoming a site of political struggle and there is an increasing weaponization of speech governance. Laws, platform systems, and border controls are being increasingly deployed to shape not only what can be said but also who is able to speak, and at what cost.

In Germany, repeated arrests over peaceful pro-Palestinian protest illustrate how symbolic political acts can trigger legal intervention. In France, a mayor was held legally responsible for failing to remove Islamophobic comments posted by third parties on his Facebook page, a ruling later endorsed by the European Court of Human Rights. Across several European states, including Germany and the UK, entry bans and visa restrictions linked to public statements on the Israel-Palestine conflict show how border controls can be used to filter or deter specific political viewpoints. In the United States, foreign writers have faced travel bans linked to political commentary. Campus protests have been silenced, academics are adjusting syllabuses, and outlets are moderating coverage to limit litigation or regulatory pressure. Platform governance adds another layer: While technology companies often frame themselves as neutral facilitators of speech, algorithmic systems shape visibility, while regulatory pressure incentivizes over-removal.

The result is deafening.

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