Today we learn, following the introduction of the federal GRANITE Act and the federal HOMEFRONT Act, that the Russian Federation has successfully used an extraterritorial demand, sent to the US-based web host WP Engine, web host of the US-based Human Rights Foundation, to successfully censor the HRF’s criticism of Russia’s government.

Per the HRF, in its press release:

“A regime that imprisons journalists directed an American company to prevent people in Russia from reading a website documenting its tyranny — and the company agreed, without a court order, and without a single law that made it do so.”

There are now two bills before the House of Representatives that would shield Americans from these demands, allow companies like WP Engine to safely refuse them, and deter their continuing transmission, from countries all over the world, into the United States.

Congress: get involved, and enact a foreign censorship shield law!