Over the holidays, LGBT Tech joined a number of social and racial justice nonprofits in an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a ban on TikTok that we believe poses a direct threat to the First Amendment and LGBTQ+ communities directly. Targeting a single platform, rather than addressing privacy and data issues across the digital ecosystem is an incomplete and ineffective attempt to protect user data that unduly burdens marginalized communities.
TikTok and platforms like it have become vital for LGBTQ+ expression, advocacy, and community-building, particularly for the many LGBTQ+ users navigating hostile physical environments. This ban jeopardizes access to critical resources, affirming spaces, and creative outlets that many in our community rely on. At the same time, it sets a dangerous precedent for government overreach into protected speech, undermining efforts to create fair and equitable digital spaces.
We believe meaningful regulation must address behavior across all platforms, not selectively suppress one.
This case underscores the urgent need for comprehensive federal privacy legislation to protect user data and preserve digital spaces for free expression. We urge the Court to uphold the principles of the First Amendment and reject this unconstitutional ban.
Read full statement here:
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