Senators Seek To Pass RESTRICT Act That Would Greatly Censor American’s Speech And Target VPN Users Under Guise Of Banning TikTok

The following report is by ZeroHedge:

The RESTRICT Act, introduced by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tom Thune (R-SD), is aimed at blocking or disrupting transactions and financial holdings linked to foreign adversaries that pose a risk to national security, however the language of the bill could be used to give the US government enormous power to punish free speech.

Warner, a longtime opponent of free speech who, as Michael Krieger pointed out in 2018 (and confirmed in the Twitter Files) pushed for the ‘weaponization’ of big tech, crafted the RESTRICT act to “take swift action against technology companies suspected of cavorting with foreign governments and spies, to effectively vanish their products from shelves and app stores when the threat they pose gets too big to ignore,” according to Wired.

Bad actors listed in the bill are; China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.

In reality, the RESTRICT Act has very little to do with TikTok and everything to do with controlling online content.

In very specific terms a lot of U.S. websites would be impacted.  Why?  Because a lot of websites use third-party ‘plug-ins’ or ‘widgets’ or software created in foreign countries to support the content on their site.  

The “Restrict Act” gives the DNI the ability to tell a website using any “foreign content” or software; that might be engaged in platform communication the U.S Government views as against their interests; to shut down or face a criminal charge. In very direct terms, the passage of SB686 would give the Dept of Commerce, DNI and DHS the ability to shut down what you are reading right now. This is a big deal.

The Last Refuge wrote

The RESTRICT Act can also be used to punish people using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) if they’re used to access banned websites, and directs the Secretary of Commerce to “identify, deter, disrupt, prevent, prohibit, investigate, or otherwise mitigate” that which is deemed a national security risk associated with technology linked to the above countries.

Penalties include fines of up to $1 million or 20 years in prison, or both.

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

More via Reason:

The language describing who the RESTRICT ACT applies to is confusing at best. The commerce secretary would be authorized to take steps to address risks posed by “any covered transaction by any person,” right? So what counts as a covered transaction? The bill states that this means “a transaction in which an entity described in subparagraph (B) has any interest.” Entities described in subparagraph B are a “foreign adversary; an entity subject to the jurisdiction of, or organized under the laws of, a foreign adversary; and an entity owned, directed, or controlled by” either of these. Foreign adversaries can be “any foreign government or regime” that the secretary deems a national security threat.

It’s a bit gobbledygooked, but this could be read to imply that “any person” using a VPN to access an app controlled by a “foreign adversary” or its alleged minions is subject to the secretary’s ire. Hence anyone using a VPN to access TikTok would be in trouble—specifically, subject to up to $1 million in fines, 20 years in prison, or both.

According to Warner’s office, however, the provisions only apply when someone is “engaged in ‘sabotage or subversion’ of communications technology in the U.S., causing ‘catastrophic effects’ on U.S. critical infrastructure, or ‘interfering in, or altering the result’ of a federal election in order for criminal penalties to apply,” and would target “companies like Kaspersky, Huawei and TikTok … not individual users.”

Except that the bill specifically says; “no person may cause or aid, abet, counsel, command, induce, procure, permit, or approve the doing of any act prohibited by, or the omission of any act required by any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization or directive issued under, this Act.”

So that was bulls***.

Tucker Carlson had a great recent segment on this featuring Glenn Greenwald.

Here are the Republicans supporting the RESTRICT Act.

• Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
• Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
• Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
• Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
• Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
• Sen. Romney, Mitt [R-UT]
• Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
• Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
• Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
• Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
• Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]

And that’s really all you need to know…

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AUTHOR COMMENTARY

‘How dare China and others spy on us: only WE can spy on you and dictate your life!’ -says the government demoniacs.

What these evil people want to implement is clearcut. The RESTRICT Act, if passed, would usher in the immediate end of The WinePress, simply because The WP uses foreign plugins to run the site. I’m already on big-tech’s naughty list already.

However, I do not see this bill passing yet in its current form. This looks to be classic Problem. Reaction. Solution. The fact that Tucker Carlsen did a whole piece on it to me is the giveaway that it will not pass. There are ton of other outlets that have talked about it, too. Too many people would be against this. This is a feeler so the evil scumbags in the government can then readjust and quietly pass the real bill that is slightly less restrictive by a hair, and then the media will be sure to stay silent or downplay its effects.

SEE: Ted Cruz Supports Bill To Create Fascist Media Cartel While Suppressing Independent Journalism, Now Set To Pass Soon

Even so, I will continue to report and fight till I am erased from the internet. That day will eventually come, sad to say.

Notwithstanding the moves against freedom of speech are waxing hotter and hotter, and 2023 will prove to be a massive year for that. The government does not work for us: they are against and seek to oppress us. It’s not America anymore nor has it been for some time. How is this any better than China or some other authoritarian state?

Keep your eyes peeled for the real bill to come to fruition, but get very little press time.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Proverbs 29:2

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[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).

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