Rubio and Ernst seek to punish TikTok’s business enterprise partners with bill
Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (FL) and Joni Ernst (IA) introduced new legislation Friday that would deny federal funding for these engaged in business enterprise with TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform.
The No Funds for Enablers of Adversarial Propaganda Act would prohibit federal funding for individuals and entities that have an agreement, partnership, or advertisement with social media providers linked with foreign adversaries — which include things like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela.
BIDEN’S TIKTOK TICKING TIME BOMB
“Chinese-owned TikTok is a threat, but some entities, which includes our nation’s airports, are nevertheless prepared to accept marketing dollars from the firm,” stated Rubio in a statement. “They are either naive, greedy, or each. Regardless, they shouldn’t obtain taxpayer dollars if they are going to accept income from or companion with TikTok. These providers will need to cease enabling Chinese Communist Celebration propaganda and espionage efforts.”
The bill comes days ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to testify ahead of the Property Power and Commerce Committee, exactly where he will talk about the social media app’s information privacy and safety practices.
The app’s ties to the Chinese government continue to raise issues from U.S. government officials who say TikTok could weaponize its collection of user information. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee final week that the app could be utilized to spread misinformation.
“This is a tool that is in the end inside the handle of the Chinese government, and it, to me, it screams out with national safety issues,” Wray stated.
The Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok from the United States unless its Chinese owners agree to sell their stakes in the firm. Earlier in the year, the White Property mandated all federal agencies to eliminate TikTok from government-issued devices due to national safety issues. TikTok and the Biden administration have been negotiating for a lot more than two years on information safety specifications, but some lawmakers are receiving impatient.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill final Tuesday that would give the federal government broader authority to regulate and ban foreign-linked technologies, which was later endorsed by the White Property.
CLICK Right here TO Study A lot more FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
In addition to the Senate bill, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and his counterpart on the China pick committee, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), have place forth a bill to ban the app outright in addition to a bill from Property Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX).
In mid-February, Sens. Angus King (I-ME) and Rubio introduced legislation to ban social media platforms like TikTok if they are owned by adversarial foreign regimes.
