According to a federal spending measure that Congress revealed early on Tuesday, TikTok would be prohibited from most U.S. government devices.
This is the latest effort by American lawmakers to oppose the Chinese-owned social media app.
In most cases, the $1.7 trillion package contains demands for the Biden administration to forbid using TikTok or any other software developed by its owner, ByteDance Ltd.
The regulations appear to only apply to the executive branch, as only a few politicians in Congress have TikTok accounts, with exceptions for national security, law enforcement, and research needs.
Two-thirds of American teenagers use TikTok, making it the second most popular website globally.
However, there has long been a consensus among both political parties in Washington that Beijing would attempt to steal American user data or promote false material by using its legal and regulatory authority.
William Burns, director of the CIA, said in a statement on Friday that Beijing may “insist upon extracting the private data of a significant number of TikTok users in our nation and also to alter the content of what goes on TikTok to fit the goals of the Chinese leadership.”
Burns told PBS, “I think those are serious issues and a matter of real concern.”
He refrained from commenting on congressional efforts to regulate TikTok.
According to her office, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was pushing for the TikTok clause to be included in the significant year-end legislation.
The TikTok bill’s Missouri Republican author, Sen. Josh Hawley, dubbed the government device prohibition “the first big strike against Big Tech enacted into law” when it passed the Senate last week.
A request for comment from ByteDance did not receive a prompt response.
TikTok is an American company subject to American law, as previously mentioned.
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
