Momentum is growing to ban Chinese state-owned TikTok following documented cases of abuse, including spying on American reporters, censoring content critical of the Chinese Communist Party, and interfering in the 2022 midterm elections. Congressional testimony from TIkTok CEO Shou Chew did nothing to mitigate those concerns.
- “Shou Chew’s comments, lies, and omissions reveal the close relationship between TikTok, ByteDance, and ultimately the Chinese government. After today’s hearing, there should be no doubt that TikTok represents a national security threat. The time for half-measures and mitigation are over. It is time to pass my ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act and ban TikTok.” – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Watch the video on YouTube and Rumble.
Flashback … In October 2019, under the Trump Administration, Senator Rubio sent a letter to then-Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to launch a full review of the national security implications of TikTok’s acquisition of Musical.ly.
Looking forward … Senator Rubio will continue to push for federal action to prohibit Chinese-owned TikTok from operating in the United States. In February, Rubio and Senator Angus King (I-ME) introduced the ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act, bipartisan legislation that would block and prohibit all transactions from any social media company in, or under the influence of, China, Russia, and several other foreign countries of concern unless that company fully divests of dangerous foreign ownership. The legislation remains the only bipartisan, bicameral bill that would actually ban TikTok.
