A few weeks ago, a “bipartisan” group of lawmakers led by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) announced the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. This is a VERY BAD THING.
The RESTRICT Act is psychotic! In order to arrogate the power to ban TikTok (a dubious action at best, regardless of the fact that it’s being used to spy on Americans, because, you know, “If we just ban drugs, no one will use them!”), Congress will allow the Secretary of Commerce to take “ANY ACTION NECESSARY” against any internet product at all that it deems a threat.
VPN’s are being used to avoid the TikTok ban? Ban VPNs and imprison anyone providing them for up to 20 years. Social media can’t stop foreign controlled bots 100% of the time? Ban them and fine anyone who resists millions. Your web host has customers we suspect of being connected to the Russian government? Shut it down. Encryption is being used by Chinese hackers to hide their communications? Ban products that protect your privacy and personal data with encryption.
The worst part? Any actions taken and the reasoning for them will be immune to the Freedom Of Information Act, so you can never appeal or even find out why an action was taken.
None of you would listen to me when I warned you about the PATRIOT Act turning us into a police state, and now our phones are bugged and tracked 24/7, millions of us are on unappealable “watchlists” we aren’t even allowed to know we are on unless we get excluded from travel, and the government can violate *all* due-process constitutional rights simply by declaring that any action is “terrorism”.
Don’t give them the same corrupt, unlimited power over the internet.
Call your representatives and Senators. Sign petitions. Get the word out!
