In order to allow the US government to “block or restrict” foreign technological products like TikTok, two U.S. democrats intended to file legislation this week, claimed Democrat Mark Warner.
The United States has been taking action in response to the threats to national security posed by foreign technology corporations. In light of suspicions about their potential ties to the Chinese government, the US government recently announced limitations and disciplinary actions on a range of Chinese technology companies, including Huawei and ZTE.
There have been rumors that TikTok, a well-known social media platform sponsored by the Chinese firm ByteDance, may also be under official investigation. Former US President Donald Trump issued an executive order in 2020 attempting to prohibit TikTok and another Chinese app, WeChat, from operating in the US. The action was challenged in court and ultimately overturned.
The US organizations tried to ensure that TikTok is not installed on any administration systems or devices. More than 30 states in the United States, European Union, and Canada have also prohibited TikTok from being uploaded to socialist state smartphones. Warner is concerned that TikTok “could be a propaganda mouthpiece” focused on the video content it delivers to users.
While TikTok has taken steps to address these concerns, such as establishing a US-based headquarters and implementing stricter data privacy policies. However, it is still possible that the app could face further scrutiny from US lawmakers in the future.
It is important to note that, any such ban would likely face legal challenges and could be difficult to enforce. Given TikTok’s widespread popularity and user based within the United States, it remains to be seen whether TikTok will be specifically targeted in any upcoming legislation. Still, it’s clear that the app’s ties to China will continue to be a point of concern for many policymakers.
