Regulations on Ricroc in the Confederate States

In Floria, Ricroc is the second most used application nationwide, but its content remained largely unregulated. This raised concerns among the Florian government about potential influence operations by rogue designated nations and organizations. To address these concerns, Floria International Holdings, owned by members of the UPR, sought to acquire a stake in the social network.

However, purchasing part of Ricroc faced significant roadblocks due to Floria's lack of a free trade agreement with the Order of the Holy Lakes, the home nation of Ricroc’s primary owner. The Social Democratic Party of Floria, which traditionally supported free trade with the Holy Lakes, advocated for friendlier diplomatic ties to resolve the issue. However, the UPR, still wary of trading with the Holy Lakes after leaving the Raspur Pact, was reluctant to pursue warmer relations.

This led to a prolonged series of gridlocks in the Florian Congress. Amid these deadlocks, President Michael Hutchinson executed an executive order, reopening negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Holy Lakes, despite opposition from his own party. This move aimed to facilitate the purchase of part of Ricroc and resolve concerns over foreign influence.

As of 1742, Floria had not yet purchased a stake in Ricroc, with the motion fiercely opposed by the Social Democrats. They expressed concerns that the UPR would use its influence over Ricroc to censor large parts of the platform, potentially suppressing free speech.

In response to these challenges, the UPR decided to explore the creation of a Florian alternative to Ricroc. The result was the development of Zapp, a social media platform created by Floria International Holdings. Zapp featured enhanced functions compared to Ricroc, including a "tweeting" element to compete directly with Tweeter. The UPR hoped that Zapp would provide a more localized platform, offering a solution to the concerns about foreign influence while still providing a competitive alternative to global platforms like Ricroc and Tweeter.

While the UPR aimed to promote Zapp through tax incentives and grants to Florian tech companies, the Social Democratic Party remained opposed, advocating for a market-driven approach to digital platforms and raising concerns about the potential for government censorship on the new platform. The political tensions surrounding these issues continue to evolve, reflecting the broader debates on national sovereignty, free speech, and international trade in the digital age.