Statement by U.S. Senator Mike Lee on Omnibus Bill's Legal Protection of Social Media Companies

Senator Mike Lee's Facebook Page ^ | 12-17-2015 | Senator Mike Lee

[Timber Rattler]

If you use Facebook- and that's everyone who sees this post - then your relationship with Facebook will be redefined by the government if the ‪Omnibus‬ spending bill before the Senate is passed into law.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to vote on a 2,000 page spending bill to fund the government through the end of next year. It was crafted in a back-room deal with almost no input from most members of Congress. Because of the "must-pass" nature of the bill, those in the room air-dropped controversial cybersecurity legislation into the bill, hoping no one would object.

If this bill passes, you will no longer have the ability to sue a company like Facebook if they share your personal data in a "grossly negligent" manner. In the past with bills like SOPA, PIPA, and CISPA, when the government tried to strong-arm companies into hostile relationships with their end users, Americans have spoken up to give the companies the encouragement they need to oppose these bills. Those familiar with the fate of these previous proposals know that they never became law. The online community that can be mobilized to protect the carefully balanced relationship of trust that exists between tech companies and their users is strong enough to stop these kinds of bills when the online community chooses to engage.

This is a proposal that benefits big government first by giving the government access to your personal information that you have shared in confidence with private companies like Facebook. The proposal also helps companies like Facebook by eliminating the legal risk to them for sharing the information. This proposal hurts the end user of Facebook's products by dramatically undermining the privacy of Facebook users through government fiat.

Because this proposal puts Facebook in a difficult position where the law is good for Facebook the company but terrible for Facebook the community, Facebook needs to know that you, the users of Facebook, support them in fighting for your privacy against an intrusive government.

For this reason, I am letting Mark Zuckerberg know that as a United States Senator representing the good people of Utah that I have read this legislation, and I oppose it. We can do better when it comes to protecting the privacy of Americans as we continue to place more and more of our trust in innovative companies like Facebook. I hope you will join me in bringing this issue to Mark Zuckerberg's attention and also to the attention of your friends and family by sharing this post.

We still have at least twenty-four hours before we vote on this bill. In the past, the Facebook community that follows my page has been able to reach almost 100 million people. Smaller online protests have stopped previous invasive cybersecurity proposals in their tracks. However, in the past Americans have had longer than twenty-four hours to mobilize opposition to these kinds of proposals. I hope you will join me in this effort before we run out of time.

[Timber Rattler]

It seems that Paul Ryan has left yet another steaming poop pile in the Omnibus Bill, this time a provision protecting social media companies like Facebook who allow government agencies to spy on their customers but then get caught and get sued, much like the telephone companies before with respect to the Patriot Act.

[butlerweave]

Is the “Presidential Term Limit” also removed so the GOP can keep Obama ?

[Redleg Duke]

Yeah, and our own RINO, Kelly Ayotte will dutifully vote for it per her master, Juan McCain and his girlfriend, Linda Graham.

[mrsmel]

But it’s off limits to check the social media doings of potential terrorist immigrants.

[biff]

I will actively donate to any republican that will run against Ryan in the primary next year and if they are not successful I will contribute to a democrat campaign opposing Ryan. That is how much I despise this sumbish.

[HarleyLady27]

#Good.For.Mike.Lee.Of.Utah!!!

[Unmarked Package]

I have the utmost respect for U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) for defending our fundamental Right to Privacy guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. His opposition to this Omnibus spending bill which erodes protections for our right to privacy, and his support for the USA Freedom Act to curtail NSA domestic spying on law abiding citizens while improving security are just two examples.

I also want to sincerely thank Mike Lee for being a very good friend to Ted Cruz in the U.S. Senate.

[mulligan]

The bill is a disgrace. And anyone who votes for it is despicable, deranged, destructive and un-American. And that probably includes most politicians.

[amnestynone]

Your calls are making a difference. ‪#‎Omnibus‬ is losing votes fast. You can let Congress know how you feel about this anti-privacy legislation at (202) 224-3121. ‪#‎protectprivacy‬ ‪#‎StopOmnibus‬ ‪#‎StopCISA‬ (This from Justin Amash).

[itsahoot]

I will actively donate to any republican that will run against Ryan in the primary next year and if they are not successful I will contribute to a democrat campaign opposing Ryan.

Now you are talking.