Senator Hawley Introduces Bill to Ban TikTok

Senator Josh Hawley has introduced the No TikTok on United States Devices Actbill in an effort to ban the popular social media platform.

TikTok has come under repeated fire for privacy abuses and violations. The company has abused user privacy so much, the list is simply too long to fully enumerate. Some of the highlights, however, include misleading Congress regarding how US user data is processed and monitoring Forbesjournalists. As a result, the calls for a complete ban on the app have been mounting.

Senator Hawley has introduced a bill aimed at making that happen. He was joined by Representative Ken Buck.

“TikTok poses a threat to all Americans who have the app on their devices. It opens the door for the Chinese Communist Party to access Americans’ personal information, keystrokes, and location through aggressive data harvesting. Banning it on government devices was a step in the right direction, but now is the time to ban it nationwide to protect the American people,” said Senator Hawley.

“TikTok is a clear threat to our privacy and national security. Not only is TikTok directly associated with the Chinese Communist Party, but it has been used to spy on Americans and gain an alarming level of access to users’ phones. This should concern every citizen who values their privacy, security, and personal information. Banning CCP tied TikTok nationwide is the only route to ending this malicious cybersecurity threat,” said Representative Buck. “I am proud to introduce this legislation alongside Sen. Josh Hawley to ensure that every Americans’ privacy and security is protected from hostile foreign entities.”

Hawley has already introduced the bill twice before, with it unanimously passing the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on one occasion, and the entire Senate on the other occasion. With Republicans in control of the House, there is a good chance the bill will pass both chambers.