With this resource, residents of Europe and other regions will be able to bypass local restrictions on content access. One informant noted that the use of VPN technologies is being discussed to mask the traffic so that it appears to be originating from the U.S. At the same time, U.S. authorities do not intend to monitor users' activities on the platform.
The project is under the leadership of Deputy Secretary of State Sarah Rogers. It was initially planned to be presented at the Munich Security Conference; however, the presentation has been postponed indefinitely.
The idea has sparked internal discussions within the State Department. Some employees express concerns that access to the platform could lead to the acquisition of information deemed extremist or hate-inciting.
Reuters also notes that the launch of this service could complicate relations between the White House and its European allies, creating the impression that Washington encourages EU citizens to ignore local laws.
