US Plans Online Portal To Bypass Content Bans In Europe and Elsewhere
Slashdot
by BeauHDFebruary 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The U.S. State Department is reportedly developing an online portal called freedom.gov, designed to provide users in Europe and other regions access to content that is restricted under local laws, including material deemed as hate speech or terrorist propaganda. This initiative, viewed by Washington as a means to counter censorship, could potentially include a virtual private network (VPN) feature to mask user traffic as originating from the U.S., ensuring anonymity for those accessing the site. The project, led by Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, was initially slated to be unveiled at last week's Munich Security Conference but faced an unexpected delay. While user activity on the portal will not be tracked, concerns have been raised internally within the State Department, including from legal officials.
The development of freedom.gov comes amid already strained relations between the Trump administration and European allies, which are further complicated by disputes over trade, Russia’s involvement in Ukraine, and President Trump’s efforts to assert control over Greenland. The new portal could exacerbate these tensions, as it effectively positions the U.S. as encouraging citizens
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Originally published on Slashdot on 2/20/2026