1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

Tech companies are erasing our civil rights. Several companies have added "assistants" to the base programs we use with the Internet. I use Google myself, so most of my experience is with that company. Google's latest addition, their "Gemini" AI, is very intrusive, overrides any attempt to turn it off, and regularly interrupts with a screen practically demanding I use it. I don't want it, don't use it, and never asked for it. They simply added it in an update, with no way to disable or delete it. Their next update is slated to allow Google to keep, and own, all traffic users conduct with third parties, including user generated content. Copyrights would not matter because Google would maintain the work was "voluntarily" put on their platform regardless of any copyright, since it is the responsibility of the user to maintain familiarity with the Terms of Service. There is no "opt out" available for this. Google isn't letting people say "NO" to this. It is generally understood this is to help Google train their AI. It tramples on our 4th Amendment rights to privacy, and our inalienable rights to own our thoughts, ideas, and our thought processes. This is just one example of how the big tech companies are abusing by using loopholes in poorly written laws to do as they please. I believe Europeans are becoming aware of this situation, and it is part of the reason for their drive to update regulations for tech companies. I believe companies using the "it's in our Terms of Service" loophole is an attempt at an end run around laws they see as likely to affect their business model. Since it is virtually impossible to participate in our society, including in matters involving government agencies, as recognized by the federal Internet connectivity programs, anything and everything these companies do that changes their Internet platforms affects us all, for good or ill. Please draft and introduce legislation to address these concerns, and encourage your fellow legislators to support, promote, and pass it, especially after Blue Wave Tuesday next week. Thank you for representing us, your constituents, before your piggy bank, the opposite of which happens far too often across the aisle. And you may, of course, use that statement in campaigning.