Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (FL) and Joni Ernst (IA) introduced new legislation Friday that would deny federal funding for these engaged in organization with TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform.
The No Funds for Enablers of Adversarial Propaganda Act would prohibit federal funding for men and women and entities that have an agreement, partnership, or advertisement with social media providers related with foreign adversaries — which incorporate China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela.
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“Chinese-owned TikTok is a threat, but some entities, like our nation’s airports, are nonetheless prepared to accept marketing dollars from the corporation,” stated Rubio in a statement. “They are either naive, greedy, or each. Regardless, they shouldn’t get taxpayer dollars if they are going to accept revenue from or companion with TikTok. These providers have to have to quit enabling Chinese Communist Celebration propaganda and espionage efforts.”
The bill comes days ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to testify ahead of the Property Power and Commerce Committee, exactly where he will go over the social media app’s information privacy and safety practices.
The app’s ties to the Chinese government continue to raise issues from U.S. government officials who say TikTok could weaponize its collection of user information. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee final week that the app could be employed to spread misinformation.
“This is a tool that is in the end inside the handle of the Chinese government, and it, to me, it screams out with national safety issues,” Wray stated.
The Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok from the United States unless its Chinese owners agree to sell their stakes in the corporation. Earlier in the year, the White Property mandated all federal agencies to take away TikTok from government-issued devices due to national safety issues. TikTok and the Biden administration have been negotiating for additional than two years on information safety needs, but some lawmakers are acquiring impatient.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill final Tuesday that would give the federal government broader authority to regulate and ban foreign-linked technologies, which was later endorsed by the White Property.
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In addition to the Senate bill, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and his counterpart on the China pick committee, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), have place forth a bill to ban the app outright in addition to a bill from Property Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX).
In mid-February, Sens. Angus King (I-ME) and Rubio introduced legislation to ban social media platforms like TikTok if they are owned by adversarial foreign regimes.
