Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are concerned about the threat that Chinese-controlled TikTok poses to national security. The White House has put off dealing with the problem, though. Finally, it has reversed course and said that it will allow Congress to impose a US-wide app ban.
Legislators, primarily Republicans but some Democrats as well, have been mentioning TikTok as a potentially harmful piece of spyware for the past two years. The video-sharing website is especially well-liked among young people.
It’s gained a poor reputation for disseminating risky viral “challenges” and enabling activists like Jeffrey Marsh to radicalize children with trans ideology. But it also poses a significant security risk.
“We look forward to continue working with both Democrats and Republicans on this bill, and urge Congress to act quickly.”
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) March 9, 2023
The @WhiteHouse has reversed direction this week, saying it would support a Senate bill that would ban #TikTok in the US. https://t.co/h6e5A5ccYV
The app is managed by the dreaded Ministry of State Security of China, which, like other Chinese businesses, is under the supervision of the country’s internet giant ByteDance. This is a serious concern because TikTok is known for collecting user data on everything they do on their phones, not just what they do on TikTok.
This is incorrect; American user data is frequently accessible from China, despite ByteDance’s US subsidiary’s assertions that its data is isolated from the Chinese parent business.
If ByteDance didn’t sell the app, former President Donald Trump threatened to ban TikTok from the US. But, the Biden Administration overturned his demands in 2021. Even though the House of Representatives has outlawed it from all government devices, President Joe Biden has been oddly slow to take action since that time. A measure to outlaw it from all government-owned devices used by federal employees has been approved by the Senate.
The bipartisan RESTRICT Act, which would forbid foreign agencies from collecting user data from US-based applications, was given the White House’s backing on March 7, according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Although the Act may be broadly implemented, TikTok is its intended aim. According to Sullivan, the administration now wants Congress to swiftly enact the legislation and deliver it for Biden’s signature. Even if it may be too late, one gap in our country’s security may soon be filled.
