Visa Sanctions as Tech‑Policy Retaliation

States are now using diplomatic immigration tools (visa bans, travel restrictions) to retaliate against foreign regulators, NGOs, and researchers who enforce or advocate platform‑content rules. This converts traditionally consular instruments into levers in cross‑border tech governance disputes and can chill independent enforcement and civil‑society monitoring. — If adopted more widely, visa retaliation will politicize regulator independence, chill NGO and expert activity, and escalate tech governance into routine diplomatic confrontation between blocs.