Senate blocks Hawley's push to ban TikTok
WASHINGTON - (AP) - Missouri Senator Josh Hawley attempted to initiate a Senate vote on Wednesday to pass legislation that would prohibit TikTok from operating in the United States. However, he was thwarted by a fellow Republican as lawmakers in both chambers are still trying to determine the appropriate action, if any, against the social media platform.
Hawley, in his attempt to force a vote - a rare move in the Senate as it can be blocked by one senator's objection - referred to TikTok as "digital fentanyl" and argued that it could allow the Chinese government to access data from 150 million American users. His proposed bill would prohibit and block all U.S. transactions with TikTok's parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., within 30 days.
Hawley stated, "The bill sends the message to Communist China that you cannot buy us."
Lawmakers have expressed national security concerns over TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, after reports revealed that the company has collected user data and spied on some journalists.
Senator Rand Paul, in an opinion piece published on Wednesday in the Courier Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, argued against banning TikTok, stating that it would be a form of censorship similar to that of the Chinese government. He framed the issue of whether or not to ban the app as a matter of free speech and indicated that he would defend it even against members of his own party. Paul maintained that his opposition was not influenced by one of his top donor's ties to the company.
Paul wrote, "I hope saner minds will reflect on which is more dangerous: videos of teenagers dancing or the precedent of the U.S. government banning speech. For me, it's an easy answer, I will defend the Bill of Rights against all comers, even, if need be, from members of my own party." He added, "If you don't like TikTok or Facebook or YouTube, don't use them. But don't think any interpretation of the Constitution gives you the right to ban them."
Senator Josh Hawley, a vocal critic of TikTok, introduced a bill on Wednesday to ban it in the United States, which he attempted to pass by unanimous consent. However, Senator Rand Paul objected.