The US State Department is developing a new online portal that would allow people in Europe and other regions to access content that may be restricted or banned by their governments. According to sources familiar with the project, the website will be called “freedom.gov” and is part of Washington’s broader effort to promote digital freedom and counter online censorship.
Sources said the portal may include a virtual private network (VPN) feature that could make users appear as if they are browsing from inside the United States. It has also been discussed that user activity on the site would not be tracked. The project is being led by Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers and was initially expected to be announced at the Munich Security Conference, but the launch was delayed.
While the exact reason for the delay is unclear, some officials within the State Department reportedly raised concerns. However, a department spokesperson denied that lawyers objected to the plan or that any formal announcement had been postponed. The spokesperson also clarified that the US does not have a censorship-circumvention program specifically targeting Europe, but emphasized that digital freedom, including privacy and VPN technologies, remains a priority.
The initiative could add pressure to already sensitive relations between the Trump administration and several European allies. Differences over trade, the war in Ukraine, and other foreign policy matters have already created tensions. The new portal could also raise concerns in Europe, as it may be seen as encouraging individuals to bypass their own national laws.
Free speech laws in the United States are broadly protected under the Constitution, while European countries have stricter regulations, particularly regarding hate speech, extremist propaganda, and harmful misinformation. Under rules such as the EU’s Digital Services Act and similar national laws, online platforms are required to remove illegal content quickly or face significant fines.
US officials have criticized some European regulations, arguing that they limit free expression and restrict certain political voices. European regulators, on the other hand, say their policies are designed to prevent extremism, terrorism, and discrimination.
The web address freedom.gov was registered in January, but the site is not yet fully active. It remains unclear what additional benefits the government-backed portal would offer compared to existing commercial VPN services. Previously, the US government supported tools that helped users in countries such as China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, Cuba, and Myanmar access unrestricted information online as part of broader democracy and digital freedom efforts.
