Scotty 5 Times

👏 @ODELL @Marty Bent West Virginia standing up against absurd censorship from foreign governments West Virginia SB-923 — the GRANITE Act (Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion) was introduced on February 12, 2026, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It's a partisan Republican bill with 9 sponsors. West Virginia is following Wyoming's lead — Wyoming HB 70 was the first state-level effort in the U.S. to shield citizens from enforcement of foreign censorship laws. The concept was developed by attorney Preston Byrne, who represents platforms like 4chan in censorship disputes. Here are the key provisions based on what's been reported about the GRANITE Act model legislation: Private Right of Action Against Foreign Censors: The act creates a private right of action, allowing residents and business entities to sue foreign states and international organizations that threaten or attempt to enforce censorship orders against them. This strips foreign governments of their usual sovereign immunity defense. Substantial Financial Penalties: The act provides for at least $10 million in damages per infraction, and allows for treble (triple) damages, plus the potential seizure of foreign state assets held within the U.S. Prohibition on State Cooperation with Foreign Censorship: The act prohibits state agencies and employees from cooperating with foreign censorship orders or extradition requests based on speech-related offenses. Non-Recognition of Foreign Censorship Judgments: It establishes that state courts shall not recognize or enforce foreign judgments that impose liability for expression protected by the U.S. and state constitutions. Civil Penalties for State Employee Violations: Any person who knowingly provides assistance in enforcing a foreign censorship judgment is liable for a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. The bill targets laws like the UK's Online Safety Act, the EU's Digital Services Act, and similar frameworks from Brazil and Australia that attempt to impose content moderation requirements on U.S.-based platforms and individuals. The bill is designed to operate defensively and within federal constitutional limits, following the model of the federal SPEECH Act, which blocks foreign defamation judgments inconsistent with the First Amendment. It's worth noting that House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan has indicated Congress is looking into similar legislation at the federal level.

@Dylan LeClair absolutely crushing it! The times, they are a changin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--3oN6c70qY