Anonymous wrote:Congress wants to ban TikTok, I am not sure what will be able to do without it. Please don’t take my TikTok away. I email my congressman and he emailed me this
“ hank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the recent developments surrounding social media platform TikTok and the RESTRICT Act. I appreciate your concern, and your views are important to me.
The time has come for Congress to finally enact legislation to protect data privacy. Unregulated data collection and use in the United States has eroded public trust in foreign and domestic companies and their ability to safeguard and use data responsibly. Irresponsible data practices lead to a broad range of harms, most concerningly loss of individuals' control over personal information. Misusing this technology through personal software applications can have devastating effects on individuals' privacy and U.S. national security. Personal identifiable information (PII), including location and other sensitive data, must be protected against unlawful interference by third parties without the users' knowledge. Many companies engage in data collection, analysis, and sale, and in recent years, certain companies have abused the information they have accumulated, constituting gross violations of personal privacy, and I am committed to ensuring all Americans have a codified and unalienable right to privacy.
Outside the private sector, I have repeatedly opposed authorization of intelligence and surveillance programs that do not guard against such abuses during my tenure in Congress. I proudly opposed sweeping reauthorizations of the Patriot Act and voted against the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act and the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act.
I applaud the Biden Administration's holistic approach to cybersecurity that seeks to ensure the safety and security of every American in the digital sphere. In the 21st century, it is vital that we provide strong, proactive leadership on behalf of the federal government to ensure the digital safety of everyday Americans.
As you may know, certain provisions of the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act, commonly referred to as the RESTRICT Act, direct the Department of Commerce to create a framework to assess and mitigate foreign threats to the information and communications technology (ICT) products and services used by social media platforms. If a social media platform or foreign technology service is found to pose a threat to vital economic and national security interests, the RESTRICT Act gives the Secretary of Commerce the discretion to impose mitigation efforts, up to and including a ban of the platform.
While much public attention has been focused on the content-creation and sharing app TikTok and the RESTRICT Act's ability to ban social media platforms, there has been little emphasis on other forms of ICT products, such as anti-virus software, telecommunication networks, and other types of malignant software which potentially poses a risk to U.S. national security. These risks, which have been embedded in our critical infrastructure, have the ability to compromise our interests and must still be addressed. It is important that any steps or actions taken to specifically mitigate the threats posed on U.S. national security can adequately respond and adapt to the highly complex threat landscape we face today, and any such actions taken do not infringe upon the rights of citizens under the first amendment.
As a Member of Congress, it is essential that I know my constituents' thoughts and concerns so I can best represent their interests in Congress. I will continue to watch this issue closely and support legislation and Congressional efforts to protect our nation's security, as well as the privacy, civil liberties, and legal rights of all Americans citizens regardless of their creed, race, or color.
Once again, thank you for expressing your concern on this very important issue. I enjoyed hearing from you. For official statements and more information on my views on other issues, please feel free to visit my website at
http://connolly.house.gov and sign up for my email newsletters. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter for real-time updates on my work in Congress and the 11th District. If I may ever be of service, please do not hesitate to contact me.@
I just hope it doesn’t get banned. I spend 4 hours a day on this app they can’t banned it.
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