| Friend,
By now, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype and panic about the social-media platform TikTok — and a rush from Congress to ban the app.
Whether you enjoy the thousands of dance videos TikTok has given us over the years or not, it really doesn’t matter. Banning TikTok is not the way to protect data privacy and security. In fact, banning or criminalizing access to apps, information and other forms of expression always ends up chilling free speech.
Banning a single app is not what we need. Tell Congress: NO to a ban on TikTok. YES to real federal privacy protections for internet users. The fact that tech companies collect and retain our most personal data should be a concern for everyone. But TikTok isn’t the only company collecting sensitive user data — and sharing that information in a discriminatory fashion. And banning TikTok wouldn’t actually fix the problems members of Congress say they care about.
If Congress wants to get serious about protecting our data, it needs to pass comprehensive privacy legislation like the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA). That bill would apply to all social-media platforms, regulate how companies collect user data, protect civil rights and give new powers to the Federal Trade Commission — along with other ways for people to seek legal remedies if social-media companies violate the law.
Banning TikTok is not the solution to legitimate concerns about user-privacy and national-security issues — we need the government to protect our privacy across the board. If you agree, add your name to our petition to Congress today. Thanks for taking action,
Candace and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net
P.S. Congress needs to reject this attempt to ban TikTok and pass real privacy protections that will safeguard our data. Tell Congress: Say no to the ban on TikTok and YES to real federal privacy legislation.  | 
