TikTok could soon be banned in the US after a bipartisan proposal was unveiled calling for its removal from American shores.
The bill comes after cybersecurity experts, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and other top US officials have warned the app could be used as a tool to spy on everyday Americans by the Chinese government.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced the bipartisan legislation, revealing that the purpose of the bill is to see the Chinese-owned app banned permanently in the United States.
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The law, if passed, would block all transactions from any social media company in or under the influence of China and Russia in the US.
"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," Rubio said n a statement.
"We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China.
"There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good."
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The press release added that a companion bill in the US House of Representatives was sponsored by Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.
Krishnamoorthi said in a statement: "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."
The Democratic Congressman added: "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."
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TikTok hit back at the proposed legislation, with a spokesperson for the app describing it as a 'politically-motivated ban' that will do nothing to actually advance America's national security, Reuters reports.
"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," the spokesperson explained.
They added that the Chinese-run company will continue to brief members of US Congress on plans that are already 'well underway' to 'secure our platform in the United States'.
TikTok is already banned on US government devices in an attempt to limit clandestine investigation by China.
Topics: US News, TikTok, Politics, News, Social Media
Rachel Lang