U.S. Senator Josh Hawley Wants to Ban TikTok in U.S.

(CTN News) – Republican senator from Missouri Josh Hawley announced Tuesday that he would introduce legislation to outlaw the TikTok app in the US.

TikTok is China’s backdoor into American life, according to Josh Hawley. Both our children’s mental health and right to privacy are in danger. Congress outlawed it on all government devices last month.

The legislation would be a part of Hawley’s larger propaganda offensive against the Chinese Communist Party and significant social media firms. He has supported anti-trust laws to dismantle tech company monopolies, but he has been particularly adamant in his opposition to TikTok.

The app, which claims to have more than a billion users worldwide, is renowned for its brief videos and potent algorithm that facilitates the discovery of fresh content. It has boosted the careers of influencers and pop stars like Lil Nas X and is popular among younger Americans.

However, experts caution that the Chinese Communist Party may use the volume of data gathered by ByteDance, the Beijing-based company that owns TikTok. Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, expressed his security concerns about the app to Congress last year.

Since TikTok is a form of internet censorship, it is challenging for a nation to outlaw it. Before President Joe Biden lifted the ban, former President Donald Trump’s attempts to outlaw the app in 2020 were challenged in court.

However, the app was removed from federal government computers last month after a Josh Hawley-sponsored bill was added to the $1.7 trillion spending bill. The legislation, which Biden signed into law, was opposed by Hawley.

The app has also been tried to be removed from government-owned devices in at least 15 states, including Kansas. The app was restricted from being used on devices used by the executive branch, executive branch agencies, staff of boards and commissions, and prohibited access to the state network, according to an executive order issued by Governor Laura Kelly last month. It will not apply to the other constitutional positions of the state and does not apply to the judicial or legislative branches.

A TikTok spokesperson did not immediately answer an inquiry for comment.

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