The U.S. is creating freedom.gov to help Europeans bypass government content bans, sparking transatlantic tensions over digital freedom and regulation.

The U.S. State Department is developing freedom.gov, a portal aimed at helping users in Europe and other regions access content banned by their governments, including material deemed hate speech or terrorist propaganda. Led by Undersecretary Sarah Rogers, the site may include a virtual private network feature to mask users’ locations and avoid tracking, though the department denies operating a targeted censorship-circumvention program. Originally planned for launch at the Munich Security Conference, the project was delayed, with no official explanation given. The initiative reflects growing U.S.-European tensions over digital regulation, as the U.S. criticizes European content rules like the EU’s Digital Services Act as overly restrictive, while Europe emphasizes combating extremism. The effort involves former Elon Musk aide Edward Coristine and could further strain transatlantic relations already affected by trade, Ukraine, and differing views on free speech.