It appears that Congress is moving closer to passing legislation that could potentially ban TikTok in the United States.
On Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban TikTok in the United States if the popular social media platform’s China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year.
Republican Rep. Andy Barr supports the bill.
"I support the action because of what I've seen - both in open source and also in classified briefings - about the threat that TikTok poses to our national security," Barr explained to LEX 18 during a local visit to Madison County on Monday.
"This has become an adversarial tool against the American people," said Barr. "And we need to recognize that there are national security ramifications to Americans' exposure to TikTok under its current ownership structure."
The bill passed by the House lengthens the timeline for the China-based parent company to sell to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress. A prior bill was passed with a six-month timeline.
Barr emphasized that Congress' goal is national security.
"Let me be clear, this is not a ban of TikTok," Barr said. "It is just like what we do with any other screening of inbound investment or activity in the United States from foreign powers. We want to make sure the ownership is friendly ownership that does not manipulate the American public opinion in ways that threaten our national security - and certainly that doesn't surveil the American people."
Both Democrats and Republicans have voiced national security concerns about the app’s owner, the Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.
Members of both parties, along with intelligence officials, have worried that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or direct the company to suppress or boost TikTok content favorable to its interests. TikTok has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government and has said it has not shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities.
The U.S. government has not publicly provided evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government or tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.
Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment. The company has also encouraged its users to contact Congress, and some lawmakers have received profanity-laced calls.
“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually,” said Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company.
----------------------------------------
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
