Georgia House Candidate Advocates for Internet Ban on Trump Supporters

A Democratic candidate in Georgia has suggested that supporters of former President Donald Trump should be barred from posting online for the next four years. Susanna Karatasos is campaigning for a Georgia House seat currently occupied by Republican state Rep. Houston Gaines as well as seeking a U.S. House seat held by Republican Mike Collins.

Karatasos describes herself as a “progressive warrior.” In a now-removed video, she asserted that Trump supporters ought to face “punishment” for their votes when Democrats regain power. Her view seems to be that restricting internet access for those who voted for Trump is essential for “rebuilding” the country. “Once Trump is gone and the Democrats take the reins, we must cut off internet access to those who voted for Trump three times,” she stated. “We need to stop them from sharing their videos or comments for four years, shielding us from the misinformation they spread while we fix the chaos they’ve created.”

In that clip, which went viral before its deletion, she asked viewers if they could agree with her position on the matter.

There’s been ongoing contention around the Biden administration’s influence on tech companies to limit conservative expression. A notable ruling occurred in July 2023 when U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty prohibited officials from requesting social media to suppress content classified as protected free speech. He cited multiple instances of alleged censorship instigated by the administration.

The situation escalated to the Supreme Court, which rejected Doughty’s injunction in a 6-3 decision, indicating that the plaintiffs did not have the standing to contest the censorship practices.

Tucker Carlson was also mentioned as a victim of the Biden administration’s alleged attempts at censorship. He was targeted in an email from White House Digital Strategy Director Rob Flaherty, requesting that Facebook restrict visibility of a video he had released about vaccines.