The Senate passed a bill by unanimous consent that would ban the social media app TikTok from all government devices amid increased scrutiny over the app’s perceived threats to national security.
A similar bill passed by the Senate last Congress was rejected by the House, according to the Wall Street Journal, meaning the bill faces stiff resistance before it could be signed into law. A bipartisan group of lawmakers have been increasingly vocal about their concerns over the world’s most popular app, owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company. Critics worry that the company’s connections to the Chinese Communist Party could lead to United States citizens’ data being acquired by the U.S. adversary, and used for malicious means.
The governors of several states have already issued bans, or have suggested bans, on the app on state-issued or leased devices, including Nebraska, South Dakota, South Carolina, Maryland, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
SEE IT: MORE GOP GOVERNORS JOIN IN TIKTOK BANS ON STATE DEVICES, SOME HOLD OUT
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill into the Senate on Tuesday which would ban TikTok altogether from the United States, while Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced similar bills in the House.
“TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news. It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party — America’s foremost adversary,” Gallagher said, according to a press release from Rubio’s office.
He continued, “Allowing the app to continue to operate in the U.S. would be like allowing the U.S.S.R. to buy up the New York Times, Washington Post, and major broadcast networks during the Cold War. No country with even a passing interest in its own security would allow this to happen, which is why it’s time to ban TikTok and any other CCP-controlled app before it’s too late.”
TikTok has fired back at the attempts at banning the app.
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In response to the bill’s introduction, a TikTok spokesperson told the Washington Examiner, “It is troubling that rather than encouraging the administration to conclude its national security review of TikTok, some members of Congress have decided to push for a politically-motivated ban that will do nothing to advance the national security of the United States. TikTok is loved by millions of Americans who use the platform to learn, grow their businesses, and connect with creative content that brings them joy.”
