CNN
—
The Senate handed legislation Wednesday night to ban TikTok from US government devices, in a transfer designed to restrict perceived information-security dangers stemming from the social media app.
The vote by unanimous consent authorized the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, a invoice authored by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley.
The transfer marks lawmakers’ newest step in opposition to the short-form video app that has change into well-liked with over a billion customers worldwide. US officers worry that TikTok’s consumer knowledge might find yourself within the palms of the Chinese government due to that nation’s affect over TikTok’s dad or mum, ByteDance.
A companion invoice was launched within the House final yr by Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck. It has but to be authorized by members of the House Oversight Committee.
“Once again, Sen. Hawley has moved forward with legislation to ban TikTok on government devices, a proposal which does nothing to advance U.S. national security interests,” a spokesperson for TikTok mentioned in an announcement. “We hope that rather than continuing down that road, he will urge the Administration to move forward on an agreement that would actually address his concerns.”
The newest legislative motion comes as TikTok and the US government have been negotiating a deal which will permit the app to hold serving US customers. There have been years of closed-door talks between TikTok and the Committee on Foreign Investment within the United States, in addition to latest experiences of delays within the negotiations.
On Tuesday, US lawmakers led by Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio launched a invoice to ban TikTok within the United States extra typically, together with different apps primarily based in, or underneath the “substantial influence” of, nations which might be thought-about international adversaries, together with China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela.
In the previous two weeks, a minimum of seven states have mentioned they may bar public employees from utilizing the app on government devices, together with Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Texas. (Another state, Nebraska, banned TikTok from state devices in 2020.)
Some US government companies have independently taken steps to restrict TikTok utilization amongst their workers. Already, the US navy, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have restricted the app from government-owned devices. But Wednesday’s invoice would apply to your complete federal workforce.