Bill to block TikTok introduced in US House of Representatives

Bill would authorize a nationwide TikTok ban.

A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives giving President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide. The Verge.

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The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the “Deterring America’s Tech Opponents Act” (DATA Act). Its author is Republican Representative Michael McCaul.

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Under the measure, the president would have the power to impose sanctions or ban TikTok nationwide if he finds that the service shared user data with persons tied to the Chinese government.

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In cases where Americans’ personal information is used for surveillance, hacking or censorship, the president would be able to impose additional sanctions on the platform and its parent company ByteDance.

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“TikTok is a modern Trojan horse КПК, used to monitor and exploit Americans’ personal information,” — McCaul said.

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Security concerns about TikTok’s national-security implications are raised by members of both parties. Democratic committee member Gregory Meeks called the bill \”overly dangerous.\” He said passage could affect allied businesses in Europe and Taiwan.

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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the initiative in a letter to McCaul. The civil-rights advocates said the DATA Act threatens the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

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“Congress should not censor entire platforms or deprive Americans of their constitutional right to freedom of speech and self-expression. Whether we discuss the day’s news, stream protests live, or even watch cat videos — we have the right to use TikTok and other platforms to share our thoughts, ideas and opinions with people across the country and around the world,” said Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel for the ACLU.

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In response to the committee’s vote, TikTok issued a statement. The company said the block would effectively amount to a “ban on exporting American culture and values” to the platform’s international audience.

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“We are disappointed that this rushed bill is moving forward despite its substantial negative impact on the freedom of speech of millions of Americans who use and love TikTok,” the company said.

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McCaul expects the bill to reach a vote in the House this month. But before the document reaches Biden, it must be approved by the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.

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The vote comes weeks before TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A hearing is scheduled for March 23, 2023 to answer questions about the app’s ties to the Chinese government.

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Earlier the House passed a bill banning the use of TikTok on government devices.

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As noted in December 2022, TikTok announced increasing transparency of its recommendation algorithms.