Top US lawyer Preston Byrne has thrown down the gauntlet to UK and Australian governments trying to censor the internet.
The UK’s communication regulator Ofcom has threatened US tech companies with massive fines if they don’t censor the internet as required by UK Online Safety Act.
Preston Byrne has informed Ofcom their laws don’t apply in the US because their tech platforms are protected by the First Amendment which guarantees free speech.
Furthermore Byrne has drafted the GRANITE Act which is before Congress and expected to be passed. Wyoming has already passed this act to protect free speech on the internet.
This leaves eKaren and Canberra in a very hard place. Australia and the political parties can scream all they like but Byrne has warned foreign countries their laws do not apply in the US.
When GRANITE Act becomes law any attempt to sue tech companies will be met with a counter-action three times the amount of the fine.
Communications Minister Anika Wells and her puppy eKaren can jump up and down all they like but Australia or any other foreign country cannot impose their censorship laws on the US which means an Australian internet regulation such as banning under 16 access is implemented purely by the good graces of the particular tech company such as Facebook.
Labor’s Hate Speech laws cannot be enforced by American tech companies. Byrne says Australia and the UK could prevent access to different parts of the internet but did not seem willing to do so.
eKaren is a toothless tiger because America owns the internet.
