Rep. Michael Rulli introduces GRANITE Act to block foreign censorship orders

This legislation creates a legal firewall for U.S.-based streaming and social platforms, ensuring that domestic First Amendment protections override international regulatory reach. By making foreign fines unenforceable in U.S. courts, the bill reduces the financial pressure on companies to adopt global content moderation standards that may conflict with American law. The move highlights a growing tension between U.S. digital sovereignty and the U.K.'s aggressive enforcement of its Online Safety Act. Watch for whether this bill gains traction alongside domestic safety measures like the Kids Online Safety Act, which Rulli also supports.

The U.K.'s Online Safety Act has become the primary regulatory mechanism that the GRANITE Act seeks to neutralize for American platforms. Ofcom, the U.K. communications regulator, has been actively enforcing the law against U.S.-based services since the Act's phased implementation began in 2024. Ofcom published its first set of illegal content duties in December 2024, requiring platforms serving U.K. users to conduct risk assessments and implement safety measures, with non-compliance carrying fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue. The regulator has signaled it will pursue enforcement against any service accessible from the U.K., regardless of where the company is headquartered, creating direct friction with U.S. platforms that operate under First Amendment protections.

The legislative landscape around online safety in the U.S. has intensified alongside international enforcement efforts. The Kids Online Safety Act passed the U.S. Senate in July 2024 with bipartisan support, mandating that platforms provide minors with tools to opt out of algorithmic recommendations and enabling the FTC to enforce compliance. Rep. Michael Rulli has been a vocal supporter of domestic child safety legislation while simultaneously opposing foreign regulatory overreach, positioning the GRANITE Act as a complement rather than a contradiction to U.S.-based safety efforts. The tension between protecting minors online and preserving digital sovereignty has become a defining policy debate in Congress, with lawmakers seeking to address safety concerns without ceding enforcement authority to foreign bodies.

The broader geopolitical dimension of content regulation is accelerating, with multiple jurisdictions moving toward extraterritorial enforcement models similar to the U.K.'s approach. The European Union's Digital Services Act, which took full effect in February 2024, imposes content moderation obligations on any platform serving EU users and has already triggered investigations into X, TikTok, and Meta. These parallel regulatory frameworks create a patchwork of conflicting obligations for global platforms, precisely the scenario the GRANITE Act aims to address by establishing that U.S. courts will not serve as collection agents for foreign regulators. The bill's introduction reflects a growing consensus among U.S. policymakers that international content governance structures may increasingly conflict with American constitutional protections.