Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell from Kentucky has thrown his support behind a movement that calls for the Chinese company, ByteDance, to sell TikTok or face a potential ban of the widely-used app within the United States. McConnell emphasized the serious national security concerns that arise from Chinese ownership of the platform.
On the Senate floor, McConnell expressed his concern about the threat to our security posed by TikTok, labeling it as America’s greatest strategic rival that has infiltrated tens of millions of American homes.
According to McConnell, TikTok currently has 170 million active users in the United States. He emphasized that the Chinese government considers the app as a means of surveillance and propaganda.
According to the Republican leader, China’s communist government has complete access to the data of American users, despite TikTok officials’ claims that users’ personal information, browsing histories, keystrokes, and other sensitive data are protected.
According to the speaker, the call to force Beijing-influenced entities to divest from TikTok aligns with Constitutional precedent. This action is crucial in addressing the significant danger posed to American children and the country’s prospects in the 21st century competition.
In a statement, he emphasized the importance of Congress addressing this issue promptly. He expressed his commitment to backing sensible and bipartisan measures that would eliminate one of Beijing’s preferred methods of coercion and espionage.
McConnell highlighted several concerning trends on TikTok, including the disturbing glorification of Hamas terrorists and a particularly outrageous fad that emerged last year, where young people falsely claimed to have discovered wisdom from Osama bin Laden.
“With TikTok, we’re not just discussing the act of meddling or hijacking an American platform. In this particular situation, the influence and control of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have been ingrained right from the start,” he expressed. “With the approval of Beijing, TikTok’s algorithm exacerbates concerning trends.”
McConnell dismissed the notion that compelling the Chinese owner to divest from TikTok or imposing a ban on the app within the United States would infringe upon the First Amendment or curtail political expression.
He stated that the issue at hand is not about the content on TikTok but rather the conduct and influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Despite claims that regulating PRC influence on the platform infringes on the First Amendment, the focus should be on addressing the behavior rather than the actual content.
“I don’t back down when it comes to safeguarding the First Amendment rights. I have always been a staunch defender of Americans’ right to express even the most disagreeable forms of free speech, such as flag-burning,” he remarked. “However, there’s a significant distinction between the opinions Americans might share on TikTok… and the actions taken by a platform that is tied to our primary strategic rival.”
McConnell’s backing of a potential TikTok ban, which was approved by the House with a vote of 352-65 last month, is significant due to his staunch advocacy for safeguarding campaign contributions and issue advertising as a means of political expression.
However, on Monday, he made the case that the United States’ national security interests are at risk if the Chinese government and its intelligence services continue to have control over TikTok.
According to the speaker, the Chinese government has been making continuous efforts to gain access to America’s communications infrastructure. However, the federal government has always been successful in thwarting these attempts by Beijing.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a strong advocate for banning TikTok in the United States, hailed McConnell’s floor speech as a major breakthrough.
“I noticed that,” he remarked, expressing his approval. “I find it commendable. I am glad he is endorsing the TikTok ban, and I hope we can proceed to vote on it.”
However, Hawley expressed doubts about whether McConnell’s backing alone will be sufficient to bring a potential TikTok ban to the Senate floor. He emphasized that TikTok holds significant financial resources and wields significant political influence in Washington.
When questioned about the likelihood of a robust TikTok bill being brought to a vote in the Senate, Hawley responded by expressing his skepticism, stating, “I’d say the chances are less than 50-50.”
According to him, the driving factor behind the situation is money. He believes that TikTok holds significant influence in this regard.
