(FamilyConservationPAC.com) – The public’s fury over the draconian RESTRICT Act, guise as a “TikTok ban,” is snowballing.
The bill was found to be much more comprehensive than just a TikTok ban. It allows the federal government to restrict American citizens’ online activities.
The law will also allow the government to impose severe penalties on those who do so, such as criminal fines of up to $1 million, jail terms of up to 20 years, and the seizure and search of hardware and online accounts, including cryptocurrency accounts.
This Monday, Fox News personality Tucker Carlson dissed the legislation during a show, saying:
“This bill isn’t about outlawing TikTok. Never trust what they claim to be. Instead, this law would grant the federal government vast and dangerous new powers to penalize Americans and control how they communicate with one another.”
The REAL TikTok scandal is not what you think it is… pic.twitter.com/nZ0ZGBp094
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 28, 2023
“So, you would give the executive branch – the Biden administration — the authority to control online expression. And if you have any connection to, quote, a foreign enemy — let’s say you oppose the war against Russia — you face a 20-year prison sentence.”
“So, this doesn’t involve outlawing TikTok. The goal here is to impose tyranny on our society blatantly. Nevertheless, just because TikTok is so unattractive doesn’t imply that those attempting to outlaw it are looking out for your best interests.”
Donald Trump Jr. also criticized the legislation saying, “the uni party wants more power to regulate what we do and see.” And now we’re going to grant the Biden goons the authority to imprison us for 20 years if they determine that we’ve broken this madness? Not at all.”
Nothing is ever as it seems. The uniparty wants more power to control what we do and see. And now we’re going to give the Biden goons the ability to throw us in jail for 20 years if they decide we’re in violation of this craziness? No thanks. https://t.co/NKpBlUry4L
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 28, 2023
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has publicly opposed the legislation. In an article for the Louisville Courier-Journal, the senator and former presidential contender said the law would make America more like China.
Sen. Paul tweeted, “Realize that all social media sucks up personal data that individuals voluntarily contribute. To those who are afraid that the Chinese government might now have access to the information of millions of American kids.” What will happen after TikTok is banned?”
Conservatives may be more heavily censored on some domestic apps.
House Republicans denounced the RESTRICT Act on the Financial Services Committee as a “smokescreen for the broadest increase of presidential power since the IEEPA” (International Emergency Economic Powers Act).
“The United States cannot defeat China by emulating the Chinese Communist Party more closely.”
The RESTRICT Act is using TikTok as a smokescreen for the largest expansion of executive power since IEEPA.
The U.S. can’t beat China by becoming more like the Chinese Communist Party. https://t.co/03BeBwCNAk
— Financial Services GOP (@FinancialCmte) March 27, 2023
Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican running for president, declared he would veto the RESTRICT Act if elected.
“As opposed as I am to the Chinese influence on our economy, Ramaswamy said that we must take care to avoid becoming more like China.”
We should not trust the ever-expanding federal surveillance state. It is corrupt. That’s why I would veto the RESTRICT Act, unless we repeal the Patriot Act at the same time. My rule: if Congress expands power of the national security establishment, it must rescind a previously… pic.twitter.com/U9y8RbHSIG
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) March 29, 2023
The official account of Young Americans for Liberty claimed that the RESTRICT Act, advertised as a restriction on the TikTok app related to the CCP, is a Trojan horse for even greater governmental surveillance. Has the Patriot Act taught us anything?”
The RESTRICT Act, billed as a ban on the CCP-linked TikTok app, is actually a Trojan horse for even more government surveillance.
The bill is never actually about what the government says it is.
Have we learned anything from the Patriot Act? pic.twitter.com/EMnPPlR7dC
— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) March 28, 2023
Former presidential candidate Ron Paul, whose grassroots-supported campaigns in 2008 and 2012 assisted in the Tea Party’s emergence, concluded that “The Patriot Act on steroids.”
The Restrict Act Is The Patriot Act on Steroids
Watch the whole show here: https://t.co/s1UT9RxGcZ pic.twitter.com/jpIs7ToRB5
— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) March 28, 2023
Conservative activist Pamela Geller claimed that a bill passed under the pretense of “banning TikTok” actually “bans you, free speech, and gives the government the ability to silence you at will.”
Disguised as a “Ban TikTok” Bill, It Actually BANS YOU, Free Speech And Gives Government The Right To Silence Us At Will
Of course Dems want this, they've found a diabolical way to legislate their unconstitutional seizure of our freedoms and silence us https://t.co/79TqLdlKCO pic.twitter.com/f1ss8aXL8u
— 🇺🇸 Pamela Geller 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 (@PamelaGeller) March 28, 2023
As a commentator on Fox News stated, “The legislation being offered ‘to ban TikTok’ actually goes well beyond TikTok and would give the government wide, ambiguous, easy-to-abuse censorship powers.” “Don’t be fooled by it.”
Unpopular but important warning: The legislation being proposed “to ban TikTok” actually goes far beyond TikTok and would give the government broad, vague, easy-to-abuse censorship powers.
Don’t fall for it. pic.twitter.com/Q1z2AWlr59
— Kat Timpf (@KatTimpf) March 28, 2023
Conservative journalist Jordan Schachtel referred to the legislation as “The Patriot Act on steroids” and claimed that “all of the usual suspects” supported it.
The Restrict Act , otherwise known as The Patriot Act on steroids, now has 21 cosponsors. All of the usual suspects: https://t.co/L18LB3mIsN
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.today (@JordanSchachtel) March 29, 2023
Greg Price, the State Freedom Caucus Network’s communications director, described it as “a Patriot Act for the internet.”
The bill to ban TikTok is absolutely terrifying. It gives the government the ability to go after anyone they deem as a national security risk at which point they can access everything from their computer to video games to their ring light.
This is a Patriot Act for the internet. pic.twitter.com/uYea49F1b1
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 28, 2023
“Could the RESTRICT Act make using VPNs illegal?”questioned Elizabeth Nolan Brown, a senior editor at Reason.
“Sen. The absurdly broad nature of the law makes it far from obvious, despite Warner’s office’s denial.”
Could the RESTRICT Act criminalize the use of VPNs?
Sen. Warner's office says no, but that's far from clear from the bill's insanely broad text… https://t.co/iE8O5IuK6x
— Elizabeth Nolan Brown (@ENBrown) March 29, 2023
We will continue to cover The developing RESTRICT Act dispute—our freedoms are at stake.
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