ATTENTION: S.686 - RESTRICT Act

AKA "The TikTok Ban"

Over the last few weeks, you may have heard of efforts by the US Government to push through legislation with the intent of banning of the video sharing app TikTok. The push to ban TikTok has recieved support from both Democrats and Republicans, and reportedly has overwhelming support in the Biden White House.

While the media is selling this favorably as a mere "TikTok ban," the legislation that would make this a reality, S.686 - RESTRICT Act, is far more sinister than what is being reported on. This act gives the US Government (specifically the Secretary of Commerce, with little to no legislative safeguards) unprecedented ability to not only ban/censor TikTok, but also ban/censor any hardware, software, or other product or service primarily intended to fulfill or enable the function of information or data processing, storage, retrieval, or communication by electronic means, including transmission, storage, and display. This includes websites, apps, video games, almost anything they wish relying on the Internet given the deliberately vague language used in defining "service."

What is included in this bill?

The RESTRICT Act is not limited to just TikTok. It gives the government authority over all forms of Information Technologies/Communication Technologies
- These services includes apps, websites, video games, even surveillance cameras/devices. Basically anything with Internet communication capabilities
- Allows the US government the authority to enforce any action deemed necessary to mitigate the threat, with no real legislative due process for doing so
  - What this does is give the govt power to ban/censor any of these services
  - Grants govt increased access to surveillance of these services as well
- If you try to bypass the censor/ban in any way you can be fined up to $250,000 and imprisoned for up to 20 years
  - It will allow US government to arrest people using VPNs to access these services that they do not deem to be "safe," and in essence put VPNs themselves at risk
Gives power to ban any social media influencers from all social media access whom they fit as national security threat.
- (Hopefully I am misinterpreting this one, but it sounds like the foundation for a blacklist?)
Any services with interests linked to the following countries are at immediate risk of being banned:
- China
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
- Venezuela
Freedom of Information requests regarding this entire operation are forbidden

This "Restrict Act" is a gateway for the US to justify erecting its own "Great Firewall" of sorts. This is the most serious attempt at regulating the Internet seen in years, and no one seems to be talking about it.

If you can, please get the word out about this.

Return to homepage