When will folks understand that if given an inch, the government will take a mile? ByteDance was instructed by the Biden administration to sell TikTok to a U.S. company.
If not, TikTok will be banned everywhere in America. Yeah, Congress responded to those warnings rather quickly!
Legislated Censorship?
The RESTRICT (Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology) Act, according to the Senate, specifically focuses on China’s TikTok.
So why is TikTok not mentioned in the bill? That’s a result of the fact that it primarily uses technological advancements from Cuba, China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and Venezuela.
This might be the worst piece of tyrannical legislation I’ve ever seen. Forget the Squad, who are just big talkers—Senate Democrats are the most horrible, ghoulish totalitarians in politics. For Thune, Romney and Capito to throw in with them isn’t surprising, but it’s still… https://t.co/Vp5TN7qJOk
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) March 28, 2023
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the bill’s financial backer, said in a news release that the RESTRICT Act exhaustively discusses the continuing danger posed by software from hostile governments.
It does this by effectively enabling the Department of Commerce to evaluate, inhibit, and minimize ICT transactions that present unnecessary risk, safeguarding the US distribution network now and into the future.
The executive branch is given an excessive amount of power under this law. The measure gives the Secretary of Commerce the authority to examine and forbid certain dealings between Americans and foreign enemies, among other things.
The RESTRICT Act is not limited to just TikTok. It gives the government authority over all forms of communication domestic or abroad and grants powers to “enforce any mitigation measure to address any risk” to national security now and in any “potential future transaction” pic.twitter.com/0mFNEKLUqU
— Mises Caucus (@LPMisesCaucus) March 26, 2023
Other agency heads named in the bill who will play a part include the Secretaries of Treasury, State, Defense, and Homeland Security.
Also involved are the Attorney General, U.S. Trade Representative, Director of National Intelligence, Administrator of General Services, and President of the Federal Communications Commission.
TikTok Not Mentioned
The Secretary of Commerce will collaborate with these individuals to recognize, prevent, obstruct, scrutinize, or otherwise mitigate various problems.
It will also work to negotiate, join into, or enforce mitigation measures to resolve any problems resulting from the covered contract by any individual or with regard to assets concerning the jurisdiction of the United States.
