The RESTRICT Act Bill Cages Americas In and has Ridiculous 20 Year Jail Sentences for Using VPN
Would the RESTRICT Act result in the “China-fication” of America? Would it bring on outrageous penalties and stifle innovation? Here is what the proposed bill says, and what it could mean for VPN users.
What the RESTRICT Act Proposes
The RESTRICT Act is a proposed bill in the United States. It aims to identify and restrict the use of information and communications technology products and services that pose risks to national security, based on the opinion of . Initially, people dubbed it the “TikTok Ban Bill.” However, the bill has much wider ramifications and could impact VPN users in the United States.
The bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify and mitigate national security risks associated with technology linked to countries adversarial to the U.S. This could include VPNs if they are used to access banned websites such as TikTok. The bill has severe punishments for violators, including fines of up to a million dollars or 20 years in jail, or both.
Reports suggest that lawmakers are moving forward with the bill. If passed, it would give the U.S. government sweeping powers to crack down on any technologies and services it sees as a threat, including VPN technology.
Opponents of the bill argue that it could give the state the power to police the entire internet and any platforms on it. Some refer to it as the “Chinafication of America.”
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
Which Technology the RESTRICT Act Covers
The proposed bill, known as the RESTRICT Act, grants the federal government extensive powers. It can identify and restrict technology and services that pose risks to national security. This includes accessing data via various networks, such as wireless local networks, cable access points, wireline access points, core networking systems, and more.
The bill also covers any app or platform with over 1,000,000 users, such as internet hosting services, cloud-based storage, and content delivery services. Anyone who attempts to bypass a blockade enforced by the US Government could face severe penalties. These include fines of up to $250,000 and 20 years in prison.
Penalties in the RESTRICT Act
The Secretary may impose the following civil penalties on a person for each violation by that person of this Act or any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization issued under this Act:
(1) A fine of not more than $250,000 or an amount that is twice the value of the transaction that is the basis of the violation with respect to which the penalty is imposed, whichever is greater.
A person who willfully commits, willfully attempts to commit, or willfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of an unlawful act described in subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000, or if a natural person, may be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both.
The RESTRICT Act and VPN Use
The bill does not directly mention VPN usage. However, it is likely that VPNs are included in the restrictions, as people can use them to access platforms that are geo-fenced and/or deemed restrict and banned. The Secretary mentioned in the bill is not an elected official. Instead, the Secretary is an appointed individual who oversees the operation.
It’s important to note that the RESTRICT Act is still a proposed bill and has not yet been passed into law.
Read the Full RESTRICT Act Bill
You can read the entire proposed bill from Congress.gov at the link below.
Share, Like, and Voice your concerns if you do not approve of the bill.
Key Takeaways on the RESTRICT Act
- The RESTRICT Act is a proposed bill and has not yet been passed into law.
- It was initially dubbed the “TikTok Ban Bill,” but it has much wider ramifications.
- The bill includes fines of up to a million dollars or 20 years in jail, or both.
- It also covers any app or platform with over 1,000,000 users.
- Opponents argue it could give the state the power to police the entire internet.
For background, learn more about the RESTRICT Act on Wikipedia.
Related Reading on Creative Geniusess
If you want more on this topic, these articles are a good next step.
- The RESTRICT Act and how it Gives Terrifying Power to the Government features Tucker Carlson’s take on legislation to ban TikTok.
- Biden to Create Tyrannical “Federal Digital Platform Commission” to police ALL Websites covers a bill that would allow the government to track users online.
- FBI Document Chill Free Speech and Associate basic terms like ‘Red Pill’ with ‘extremism’ looks at documents on internet lingo and the FBI.
