Wyoming launches legal counterstrike against global censorship regimes targeting American speech with the GRANITE Act – NaturalNews.com

• The GRANITE Act empowers Wyoming residents and companies to sue foreign governments and their agencies directly in state courts for attempting to censor speech that is protected under U.S. law.
• The legislation specifically prohibits Wyoming officials from assisting in the enforcement of foreign laws related to “online safety, hate speech, misinformation” and other similar categories, aiming to stop foreign overreach.
• The bill sets substantial financial disincentives, including a minimum penalty of $10 million per infraction that can be tripled, allowing for the seizure of foreign state assets held within the U.S. to satisfy judgments.
• A core mechanism of the act is to strip away the traditional legal defense of sovereign immunity that foreign states often use to shield themselves from lawsuits in U.S. courts.
• The bill is a direct legislative counter to increasing censorship demands from foreign regulators in the U.K., EU, Brazil and Australia, and is inspired by ongoing legal conflicts like the one between 4chan and the U.K.’s Ofcom.

In a bold move to protect American digital sovereignty, the state of Wyoming has initiated a legislative offensive against foreign governments attempting to police online speech within the United States.

The groundbreaking Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion (GRANITE) Act was filed for numbering by State Rep. Daniel Singh (R-Cheyenne), marking the first formal step in what its proponents describe as a critical battle for free expression. The bill conceived by attorney Preston Byrne – who represents platforms like 4chan in censorship battles – aims to empower American citizens and companies to sue foreign states and their regulators for attempting to censor speech that is protected under U.S. law.

This development comes amid growing concerns over censorship demands from the United Kingdom, Brazil, the European Union and Australia, which have increasingly sought to impose their speech standards on U.S.-based entities. The GRANITE Act represents a direct response to what its authors see as an overreach by foreign regulators.

The legislation specifically targets foreign laws and actions related to “online safety, hate speech, misinformation, disinformation, defamation, privacy or ‘harmful content.'” It would prohibit any state agency or official in Wyoming from assisting in the enforcement of such foreign measures.

The core mechanism of the bill is a civil cause of action that strips away the traditional legal shield of sovereign immunity, allowing Wyoming residents and companies to bring lawsuits directly against foreign governments and their censorship agencies in state courts. The proposed damages are substantial, setting a minimum penalty of $10 million per infraction, which could be tripled under certain conditions.

“If we get corresponding federal action, this law, and laws like it, could represent the single greatest victory for global free speech in 30 years,” Byrne said. He characterized the legislation as a “Pro-Free Speech Death Star,” noting its provisions are designed to deliver a devastating financial blow to foreign censors.

Sovereign asset seizure: The new deterrent against foreign censorship

The legal theory is that the threat of massive, enforceable civil judgments will deter foreign regulators from targeting American speech. Byrne pointed out that the U.K. for instance, holds billions in sovereign assets within the U.S. that could be seized to satisfy such a judgment, creating a significant economic disincentive.

The impetus for the bill stems from ongoing legal conflicts, such as the case between the online forum 4chan and the British Office of Communications (Ofcom), the country’s communications regulator. In its legal filings, Ofcom has asserted sovereign immunity, arguing it is a protected arm of the British state and immune from civil claims – even when its actions target a platform operating entirely within the United States. The GRANITE Act is designed to nullify that defense for actions deemed to be foreign censorship.

According to BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine, Ofcom’s role in the global censorship-industrial complex is multifaceted and deeply concerning. As the U.K.’s communications regulator, Ofcom has the power to influence what information is disseminated to the public through various media channels.

“Foreign countries can bully the s**t out of American citizens and companies because they know that U.S. law potentially protects them from consequences for doing so. We should take that immunity away from them,” Byrne argued.

This legislative effort arrives at a time of heightened awareness about the mechanisms of global censorship. The journey of the GRANITE Act from a blog post to formal legislation in just over a month signals a growing political momentum to push back against what activists describe as a “censorship-industrial apparatus.”

While the bill must still navigate the Wyoming State Legislature’s committee process and floor votes, its introduction is a symbolic and substantive first shot in a new front of the free speech debate. By potentially shifting the power to challenge foreign censorship from federal diplomatic channels to American courtrooms and citizens, the Wyoming initiative could redefine the legal landscape for online expression, establishing the Equality State as an unexpected frontline in the global struggle for digital rights.

Watch BitChute founder Ray Vahey’s response to Ofcom’s demands for his platform below.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

PrestonByrne.com

PrivacyGuides.org

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com