Now, we’re hearing about a new RESTRICT Act that has gained immense support from American lawmakers of the Republican and Democratic parties. They came to the unanimous decision that something needed to be done about the app, thanks to the huge concerns linked to data privacy and links of the app to Chinese Government officials.
It’s not a complete ban as was once heard of and is still being spoken of in the country but many feel that this would do justice.
There have been a lot of arguments on this front regarding the best way to accomplish such goals. One bill has ended up gaining plenty of steam and it’s this RESTRICT Act. Despite being introduced in the public eye by a Democrat, it has really turned into one of the world’s leading legislations for a ban on TikTok.
The White House was seen showing immense support for this bill as witnessed by influential groups on both sides. The bill is also very unique in that it does not provide any support for just one app like just TikTok or hold any nation accountable like China.
It just provides the country’s Department of Commerce with more authority to outline and block transactions that entail foreign adversaries. This would entail China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, and even North Korea.
The supporters claim that such approaches are more flexible and that with the right apps in a place like TikTok, it can do great at limiting their damaging potential. But wait, it’s not as simple as that.
We’re seeing it face plenty of restrictions and a huge amount of backlash from so many critics as well. This includes groups of civil rights activists like the ACLU and some firms specializing in providing digital rights such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They are the ones in charge of the language provided by the bill and the great risks linked to America’s freedom of speech and privacy rights.
And then you have some Republicans charging the bill and how it grants way too much authority to the Federal Government by adding new powers to Joe Biden. But why are critics so worried that this bill would give Biden so much power after all?
See, when and if passed, the Act would cause President Joe Biden to have the liberty to choose which apps could be listed across America’s leading App Store. Similarly, the law also provides a leading number of privacy risks for so many American citizens.
Another leading concern is how the draft of such a bill is not very clear. It just makes it so how hard it is to actually reach it, as explained by experts in the industry.
For instance, the bill might criminalize VPNs for accessing TikTok apps on servers located outside the country. And while the supporters of this bill feel it will not be applied to people individually in the US, there is nothing in this current language that would make sure it won’t happen again.
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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
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