1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

TikTok is a global platform that has connected millions of Americans with content creators and communities around the world. Banning this platform would severely restrict the free speech rights of users and set a dangerous precedent for government overreach. While national security concerns should be addressed through targeted measures, a blanket ban on an entire communications platform does not meet the high constitutional bar required to restrict free expression on this scale. There are less restrictive alternatives that can address legitimate concerns without wholesale censorship. Rather than banning TikTok outright, we urge Congress and the administration to narrowly tailor any regulations to established, imminent threats while preserving Americans' rights to access information and engage in online discourse. Protecting national security interests is critical, but it cannot come at the expense of our core democratic values of free speech and open exchange of ideas. We call on our government to safeguard both by finding a solution that addresses risks through proper oversight rather than unconstitutional overreach.