The US Congress, at the behest of Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and under the guise of protecting Americans from China, is taking aim at rights guaranteed to us by the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
First Amendment to the Constitution
For 150 million Americans (nearly half the population), TikTok is a place where we can express ourselves, get news that doesn’t receive much coverage on mainstream media outlets, and connect with a community of people who share our interests. The popularity of TikTok exploded during the pandemic when Americans were forced to be physically isolated from each other. If TikTok were banned, it would be a significant blow to millions of us.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) sponsored S. 686, known as the RESTRICT Act, to ostensibly ban TikTok. But it’s not just about TikTok. The RESTRICT Act, which the ACLU has raised concerns about, would allow the administration to ban other technologies as well, without the American people having any knowledge or recourse.
The bill also imposes severe penalties for violations: Up to $250,000 for civil and up to $1,000,000 or 20 years in prison for criminal. If the bill were signed into law and used to ban TikTok, you could be subject to such penalties simply for opening the app.
The RESTRICT Act is overreaching and a clear threat to the Internet as we know it. To stop it from becoming law, we’re going to have to take action. The best thing you can do is call your Senators (find out who they are here) and tell their staffers in a polite yet firm manner that you strongly oppose this legislation and that, if they vote for it, you will spend all of your free time fundraising for their opponent in the next primary election. Your Senators’ offices can be reached by calling the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Rob's Little Corner of the Internet 