Throughout the past few years, the social media app TikTok has taken the world by storm. On this app, users can post comedic, informative, or persuasive content that is then thrown into an algorithm that attempts to provide videos for each individual based on their content likes, interactions, and other factors that make up an individual’s “For You” page.
This system is appealing because the algorithm curates content that is incredibly specific to the individual. However, why are Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and his colleague Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) now introducing bipartisan legislation alongside Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) to ban the app in the United States?
Their argument is that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance is required to hand over the app’s data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which includes the information of American citizens, children and adults alike. The legislators have arranged the Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party Act (ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act).
In some states such as Texas, Maryland, South Dakota, and most recently Alabama and Utah, the app has been banned on state government-issued devices, but there currently is not a nationwide ban.
“The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok. This isn’t about creative videos — this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. We know it’s used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good,” said Sen. Rubio in a press release.
“At a time when the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries abroad are seeking any advantage they can find against the United States through espionage and mass surveillance, it is imperative that we do not allow hostile powers to potentially control social media networks that could be easily weaponized against us. The bipartisan ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is a strong step in protecting our nation from the nefarious digital surveillance and influence operations of totalitarian regimes. Recent revelations surrounding the depth of TikTok’s ties to the CCP highlight the urgency of protecting Americans from these risks before it’s too late,” stated Rep. Krishnamoorthi.
The bill will look to make its way to the President’s desk perhaps before the new Congress begins.
