Republican senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, as well as Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw of Texas, recently appealed to all members of Congress to stop using the popular social media app TikTok. They urged their fellow lawmakers to lead by example and demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding the nation’s security. Furthermore, they called for changes to House and Senate rules that would prohibit members of Congress from using the app.
TikTok, a video-sharing app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has become a phenomenon in the United States, particularly among teenagers and young adults. The short video app allows users to create and share 15-second videos set to music, as well as interact with the content of others. However, the application has come under scrutiny in recent months due to concerns about data privacy and national security.
US lawmakers argue that TikTok, being a Chinese app, could pose a significant threat to national security. They fear that the app collects data on American users, which could be shared with the Chinese government. This suspicion is rooted in the Chinese government’s control over private companies based in the country since China’s legal system is known to oblige businesses to cooperate with intelligence work. As a result, critics argue that the Chinese government could request access to personal data collected by TikTok without the user’s consent.
Even TikTok’s senior management changes, including the appointment of Disney Streaming Services head Kevin Mayer as its new chief executive officer, have not alleviated these concerns. TikTok has repeatedly attempted to assure its American users and the public that it adheres to strict data access and storage policies. The company maintains that all US user data is stored in the United States, with backup servers located in Singapore. Moreover, TikTok claims to have implemented software restrictions to prevent any access to user data from outside the US.
In addition to suspicions about data sharing with the Chinese government, there is increasing concern about how TikTok curates and controls the content available on the app, particularly content that is critical of the Chinese government. Reports have emerged that the app actively suppresses content that could be construed as critical of Beijing, including the ongoing protests in Hong Kong and information about China’s treatment of the Uighur Muslims. This has led to accusations of censorship and furthered concerns about the app’s influence, especially among its sizeable teenage user base.
Following the mounting concerns, a growing number of US businesses and organizations are taking actions to restrict TikTok’s presence within their domains. In July, the Democratic and Republican national committees warned their members against downloading and using the app. Moreover, the US Army and Navy have banned TikTok from government-issued phones, and the Trump campaign has also stopped using the app entirely.
The call to prohibit the usage of TikTok by the members of Congress comes as the Trump administration considers imposing broader restrictions on the app. The administration is reportedly looking into banning TikTok in the United States altogether or forcing a sale of the app’s American operations.
In response to the growing backlash, TikTok has adopted several measures attempting to distance itself from the Chinese government and establish itself as a genuinely international app. For instance, the company has recently announced that it is considering reorganizing its corporate structure, including the establishment of a new headquarters outside of China. Moreover, TikTok is expected to pull out its business operations from Hong Kong due to the new national security law imposed by Beijing.
These actions signify TikTok’s recognition of the need to address concerns over its connections to the Chinese government and to reaffirm its commitment to user privacy and security. However, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be effective in changing the perception of the app among US lawmakers and the public.
As the debate about TikTok’s future continues, it is essential for US lawmakers to assess the potential risks posed by the app thoroughly. The potential ban on TikTok in Congress emphasizes the importance of lawmakers prioritizing national security and data privacy concerns. Furthermore, the situation underscores the growing apprehension in the United States about the influence of China-based technology companies in the country, and their possible impact on America’s social, political, and economic landscape.
