To the Editor:
When I started Rainbow Realty & Auction with my business partner, Dale, 27 years ago, I wanted to show Tennesseans that their dreams of homeownership could come true in Carter County. Since then, I’ve enjoyed helping newlyweds buy their first homes and finding forever homes for growing families, as well as those downsizing for retirement.
As founders of a local real estate agency and auction company, Dale and I cherish traditional values. We believe in the homegrown spirit of Appalachia and in face-to-face conversations about you and your loved ones’ needs. At the same time, we use modern technology, like digital advertising, to serve you better.
The days of the Yellow Pages and homes magazines are gone. To reach thousands of buyers and sellers, online ads are the best way to get noticed. Using social media tools, I can connect with folks from Knoxville to the hills of Northeast Tennessee — all in a few clicks, as well as worldwide. Anonymous ad data ensures my outreach stays focused, effective and budget-smart.
However, a new digital ad tax in the Tennessee General Assembly could make one of the few ways small businesses can compete more expensive. Marketed as a move to regulate “Big Tech,” a digital ad tax would instead raise costs for small businesses by making basic advertising tools less accessible. It would also jeopardize Tennessee’s progress in attracting investment and innovation.
From new taxes to complex privacy mandates, too many states are creating digital rules that make it harder for small businesses to compete. Across the country, these laws often overlook a simple truth: data powers the internet. It helps small businesses reach customers, keeps online content affordable and gives consumers more choice at lower cost. While not perfect, Tennessee’s data privacy law strikes a balance — protecting consumers while supporting jobs, innovation and growth.
Still, there’s only so much states can do on their own. A growing patchwork of state laws could undermine Tennessee’s progress, creating confusion and barriers to growth for the more than 197,300 Tennesseans who rely on the internet to power their jobs.
Lawmakers at every level should consider these impacts and recognize the far-reaching implications of digital advertising and privacy regulations. I urge Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger to continue championing small businesses by sponsoring a federal digital privacy standard that protects citizens while ensuring states do not impose unfair taxes or excessive regulations on digital commerce.
Judy Veeneman, Rainbow Realty & Auctions LLC, Elizabethton, TN