A Utah senator has once again decided that the internet is too much fun and that this must be stopped immediately.
Mike Lee, a man whose Twitter feed reads like a Libertarian bumper sticker that went to law school, is pushing new legislation that would supposedly crack down on "harmful online behavior." Yes, the same guy who once tweeted about the Constitution more times than a high school civics teacher on espresso.
The details are about as clear as a Utah lake in spring runoff.
Lee's office says the bill targets "addictive algorithms" and "exploitative engagement tactics," which is Washington-speak for "we don't understand how phones work but we'd like to regulate them anyway." Critics point out that the bill's language is so broad it could theoretically apply to a cooking blog that uses autoplay.
One top comment read, "Mike Lee is the human embodiment of a Terms of Service agreement nobody reads." Another user noted, "This is the same guy who argued the government shouldn't regulate anything unless it's something teenagers enjoy." The thread quickly devolved into a debate about whether Lee has ever actually used the internet or just had it described to him by an aide.
Both parties have spent the last five years trying to look tough on Big Tech without actually doing anything that helps anyone.
But there's something uniquely grating about a senator who built his brand on "limited government" suddenly discovering a passion for federal oversight the moment kids started saying "skibidi" on his lawn.
The bill's chances of passing are roughly the same as a snowball's in a Phoenix summer.
Even if it did, courts would likely gut it faster than a Thanksgiving turkey.
The point is the press release, the fundraising email, and the sweet, sweet engagement from people who hate him.
You've successfully united the left and right in one shared belief: you should probably log off.
Politicians will always try to regulate the things they don't understand.
Final Thoughts
The only difference now is that the rest of us can watch it happen in real time, in a comment section, on a platform they're trying to ban.