Announcements issued on Tuesday publicized bipartisan efforts to ban TikTok from operating in the United States. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced 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) with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introducing a companion bill to the Senate.
According to Gallagher’s press release, the proposed law would block transactions from TikTok and any other social media company in, or under the influence of “countries of concern,” including China, Russia, and Iran.
The proposed laws come on the heels of a new and united wave of apprehension over the Chinese-owned social media platform. According to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) press release, administration officials from FBI Director Christopher Wray to the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines have expressed concerns in recent weeks over the mounting and “extraordinary” threats posed by TikTok in terms of both national security and the safety and privacy of millions of Americans.
“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,” Rep. Gallagher said in a statement. “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.”
The legislative action comes after the Trump Administration sought to ban the platform from domestic operation in August 2020. Efforts to block the company were challenged in court and coupled with a requirement that it be divested to an American entity. Oracle was among potential partners, but no deal came to fruition.
