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Editor, News-Register:
Americans have certain inalienable rights. Chief among these is the freedom of speech sanctioned to us under the First Amendment. What should be protected by the Constitution -- the very basis of our democracy -- is now under threat. Congress is attempting to pass legislation that would limit how and where Americans can share their voices.
Regardless of the communication style, the First Amendment protects our right to converse with others. TikTok is a major social media platform. Banning it would strip us of our basic rights as American citizens and place more power in the hands of government bureaucrats.
TikTok should be accessible to all Americans who choose to use it. The right to choose is an imperative piece of our democracy.
A national ban on TikTok is in direct opposition to everything this nation stands for.
With millions of U.S. users, TikTok is facilitating conversations about a wide array of topics between people that may have never connected if not for the platform. Why are regulators so quick to get rid of a platform that is paving the way for communities to connect?
The truth is that all social media platforms have some risk, and yet that has not stopped the great majority of our lawmakers from joining Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms.
Instead of implementing a nationwide ban on TikTok, members of Congress should see how the app could be helpful. TikTok isn't the enemy. It is a tool that countless Americans use for positivity -- lawmakers could do the same.
Eli Baumwell
Interim Executive Director, ACLU
Charleston