1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

The bipartisan legislation signed into law targeting and effectively banning TikTok is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights that does nothing to address the widespread issue of data harvesting and privacy violations across all major social media platforms. By singling out one app owned by a Chinese company, this law employs a xenophobic double standard that allows domestic corporations like Meta, Twitter, and YouTube to continue unchecked in their exploitative data collection practices that enable misinformation, hate speech, and erosion of democracy. Rather than this discriminatory and misguided measure, we urgently need comprehensive federal data privacy legislation to protect all internet users' civil rights and rein in surveillance capitalism across the entire tech industry. TikTok's shortcomings around content moderation and data practices are not unique - the failures are widespread and systemic. Banning one platform merely pushes people to others with the same underlying issues, while cutting off vital spaces for small businesses, educators, and diverse voices to connect with audiences. This TikTok ban undermines free expression, entrenches corporate monopoly power, and does nothing to address society's real privacy and democracy needs. Strike down this unconstitutional law and instead champion robust, equitable data protection for everyone.