The Trump administration has publicly criticised UK government plans to require platforms such as YouTube to give greater algorithmic prominence to established broadcasters like the BBC and ITV, warning the move risks "facilitating censorship". In a statement issued via the US embassy in London, Washington argued that boosting government-favoured outlets could set a precedent for authoritarian regimes and amount to "extraterritorial censorship of protected speech by Americans online", escalating tensions over the proposals just as ministers consider whether legislation is needed to tackle online misinformation.

The row centres on a UK consultation exploring whether platforms should be legally compelled to prioritise trustworthy content if they fail to do so voluntarily, a response to growing public reliance on less regulated sites such as X, YouTube and TikTok. The US embassy argued that favouring established media would effectively suppress independent journalists and asked what safeguards would prevent bias among UK officials from disadvantaging minority-viewpoint reporting. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it welcomed engagement with its "media green paper" and would protect free expression and fair competition, while insiders noted any measures would apply only within the UK. The intervention comes as Donald Trump remains locked in a separate legal dispute with the BBC over an edited Panorama broadcast.