The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has formally warned major technology companies that weakening data-security or content-moderation standards to comply with foreign laws could violate American consumer-protection rules. In letters sent on Aug. 21 to 13 firms—including Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta—FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson said companies remain bound by U.S. promises of end-to-end encryption and free-speech safeguards even when operating overseas. Ferguson cited the European Union’s Digital Service Act, the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act and the UK Investigatory Powers Act as examples of legislation that pressure platforms to censor content or introduce technical backdoors. Adopting such measures globally, he wrote, could constitute deceptive conduct under Section 5 of the FTC Act if U.S. users are exposed to weaker privacy or greater surveillance risk. The warning follows Washington’s successful push this month for the UK government to drop an encryption-backdoor demand aimed at Apple. While British officials retreated, Ferguson noted that similar requirements may re-emerge and said the FTC will move against any company that dilutes protections for American users in response to overseas mandates. Congress is also sharpening its focus on the trans-Atlantic clash over internet rules. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a Sept. 3 hearing titled “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation,” with former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage slated to testify and EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton invited. Lawmakers say the session will examine whether European regulations undermine U.S. constitutional and consumer rights.