Millions of good, patriotic Americans are worried about the power our communist Chinese enemies have over our systems of communication, and for good reason. And a bipartisan bill called the “Restrict Act” has been proposed with sponsors claiming their bill would address that issue. But a closer look at what the bill would really do should cause everyone’s alarm bells to ring.
Social media video platform TikTok has become a focus of worry for Americans, and rightfully so. It is a baleful influence on our young people, it pushes transgenderism, furthers Chinese influence, and causes harm to our nation. And with everyone’s attention on Chinese-owned TikTok, the bipartisan “Restrict Act” (S 686) has been proposed to “solve” the issue.
Many Americans want TikTok banned. So, couching their bill as a case of protecting “national security,” the Restrict Act aims to put limits on foreign technology companies, protect Americans from being influenced or stolen from by said foreign companies, empower the federal government to identify these foreign threats, and even arrest, prosecute and punish Americans who would seek to aid these threats.
In his info sheet on the bill, to Sen. John Warner (D, VA), “The RESTRICT Act comprehensively addresses the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by better empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent, and mitigate ICT transactions that pose undue risk, protecting the US supply chain now and into the future.”
This might all seem like a great idea. After all, we don’t want foreign enemies to infiltrate our system of communication, influence our elections, and steal from us with apps like TikTok. But, while we certainly need to do something to protect ourselves from this sort of foreign intrusion perpetrated by our enemies, this bill does not seem like the way to go.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson recently warned his audience that the Restrict Act is not what it appears to be, and what he revealed is extremely troubling.
The REAL TikTok scandal is not what you think it is… pic.twitter.com/nZ0ZGBp094
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 28, 2023
Carlson pointed out that what TikTok plays for its own children in China is far, far different than what American kids see. TikTok in China shows “mostly educational” videos, while American kids see lewd videos of grown women twerking and showing their breasts, purported teachers talking about pushing transgenderism in the classroom, and other filth and propaganda.
As Fox News noted, Tucker went on to say, “China knows. If you want a productive society that extends beyond, say, next week, you teach your kids about hard work and creativity and personal responsibility, respect for authority, but if you want to destroy a society, you funnel a ton of garbage to kids about gender, ideology and twerking.”
Tucker fully agreed that “TikTok is not a positive influence on American society.” And he also agrees that something should be done about it. But this Restrict Act is not only not the way to address the TikTok problem, it is an outright lie that it has anything at all to do with TikTok.
Carlson made a very good point early in his segment when he said, “This is one of those weird moments where there is or appears to be some kind of bipartisan consensus and that alone might want to make you pause for a second. If everyone in power is saying the same thing, is it really a good idea?”
So, what is in the bill? Does it protect us from TikTok?
Apparently, it does not. “But in reality, and you should know this, if you’re opposed to TikTok as we are, this bill isn’t really about banning TikTok. It’s never about what they say it is,” Carlson said.
Carlson adds that the bill would regulate “certain transactions between persons in the United States and foreign adversaries.” But one problem is that these adversaries are not determined by any acts of congress, but instead is determined by the secretary of commerce and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). “Well, that ought to trip a switch in your brain,” Tucker noted.
“Under this bill, if you engage in any of that with a so-called foreign adversary as determined by, in this case, the Biden administration, that would allow the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimando, and the director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, to decide whether you’re acting in the ‘interest of a foreign adversary,’” Carlson pointed out.
Americans, do you trust the Biden administration to determine who is really our enemy? And then do you trust Biden to act legitimately to prosecute Americans for working with these “enemies”?
After all, if you are caught dealing with who Biden calls our enemy? This bill says YOU can go to jail.
“Again, that’s another term that the executive branch, the secretary of commerce, gets to define without the interference of Congress,” Carlson said.
“So, if the Biden administration decides that you’re doing this, then the secretary of commerce can then enforce ‘any mitigation measure to address any risk arising from any covered transaction with any person or with respect to any property subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.’ Oh, these covered transactions can involve ‘current past or potential future transactions’ and the mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, throwing American citizens in prison for 20 years.”
“Now, just because TikTok is so unappealing, just because it’s a creepy low IQ Chinese plot designed to make your kids trans and it is, that does not mean that the people trying to ban TikTok have your interests in mind. Oh, it definitely doesn’t or America’s,” Carlson warned.
“Keep in mind, these are exactly the same people who drained our Strategic Petroleum Reserve and in fact promote China at every turn. Now, they’re telling you they’re against China. They’re not.”
After how people like Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn were persecuted by an out-of-control, corrupt FBI, and the Biden DOJ moving to suggest the Patriot Act should be used against parents at school board meetings, we should already be on notice that the federal establishment cannot be trusted with this sort of power.
Carlson is right. TikTok is a bad, bad player in social media. It’s bad for kids and bad for our nation. But this bill does address TikTok and instead adds restrictions on you, not China. As Tucker points out, “It’s part of a strategy to make America much more like China, with the government in charge of what you read and see and with terrifying punitive powers at their fingertips.”
via westernjournal
