US website 'freedom.gov' will allow Europeans to view hate speech and other blocked content

Engadget

by Mariella Moon

February 20, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

The U.S. State Department is developing a web portal on freedom.gov that would allow users, including Europeans, to access online content blocked by their governments. Originally slated for launch at the Munich Security Conference last month, the project faced internal concerns from state department officials. The portal aims to provide visitors with tools similar to virtual private networks (VPNs), enabling them to bypass censorship and view restricted content as if they were in the U.S. While under the State Department's umbrella, the domain was traced to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, which also oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The initiative could strain relations between the U.S. and its European allies. Unlike Europe, where governments typically block only illegal content such as hate speech, terrorist propaganda, and disinformation under laws like the EU’s Digital Services Act or the UK’s Online Safety Act, this portal would potentially allow access to a broader range of restricted material, including hate speech, pornography, and child sexual abuse material, according to Nina Jankowicz, former director of the Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board. Critics argue that the project could undermine efforts to combat harmful content while promoting digital freedom, as stated by the State Department. While officials insist there is no specific program to circumvent European censorship, they emphasize the importance of privacy and censorship-circumvention technologies like VPNs. The portal’s launch comes amid broader tensions over internet governance and free expression, raising questions about its implications for global online safety and digital rights.

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Originally published on Engadget on 2/20/2026