NW Houston News

Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are spearheading a bipartisan effort to prevent the transfer of U.S. software to TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. The lawmakers are calling on the Biden Administration to use its authority to address the concerns surrounding TikTok's data privacy and potential ties to the Chinese government.

The move comes after Congress' previous attempts to pass legislation addressing the threat of TikTok fell short in 2023. Reports had emerged that TikTok engineers and executives in China had access to the private data of U.S. users. During a hearing in March 2023, Congressman Crenshaw questioned TikTok's CEO, Shou Chew, who effectively admitted that ByteDance spied on American citizens.

Congressman Crenshaw expressed his dissatisfaction with China's continued infiltration into American lives, stating, "Our threats to shut down TikTok have not stopped them from continuing to prey on the American people and collect our data." He supports legislation to ban TikTok entirely and is calling on the Biden Administration to take immediate action to protect users across the nation.

Congressman Gottheimer highlighted the potential danger of the data TikTok has collected falling into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. He stated, "By preventing the transfer of U.S. software and technology to ByteDance, the U.S. can fight back against TikTok's information invasion against America's families."

The lawmakers have written a letter to the Secretary of Commerce, urging the addition of ByteDance to the Commerce Department's foreign entity list. They argue that TikTok's relationship with the Chinese Communist Party poses serious issues with access to U.S. user data. The letter states, "Any ByteDance data that is viewed, stored, or passes through China is subject to the laws of China, a one-party authoritarian state hostile to American democracy."

The letter also highlights China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, which prohibits Chinese entities from complying with foreign restrictions that impede Chinese businesses from operating in ways that advance the Chinese government's interests. This law effectively prevents TikTok and ByteDance from complying with U.S. regulations regarding data collection and use.

The lawmakers propose that adding ByteDance to the BIS Entity List would be a crucial step in protecting U.S. users from the security concerns associated with TikTok. The Department of Commerce previously took similar action against Huawei Technologies in 2019, and the lawmakers believe that applying licensing restrictions to the export of software from the U.S. to ByteDance would weaken the operability of TikTok.

Various experts have commended the lawmakers' efforts and emphasized the risks posed by TikTok. Matt Pottinger, former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Trump, praised the initiative, stating that TikTok is a powerful tool for influencing democratic politics. Nazak Nikakhtar, former Acting Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, believes that the proposal offers an elegant solution to address the risks without regulating private citizens' content on the app.

Michael Sobolik, a Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies, highlighted TikTok's ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its censorship of sensitive information. He believes that Congressman Crenshaw and Congressman Gottheimer have identified a creative way to degrade TikTok's ability to function in America, and the Department of Commerce should take their suggestions seriously.

Stephen Coonen, former Senior Foreign Affairs Advisor, Defense Technology Security Administration, warned about the addictive nature of TikTok and its potential to decrease attention spans and increase anxiety and depression. He argued that Americans' data is being weaponized against them, with Chinese officials using artificial intelligence and TikTok-generated data to potentially control minds.

Reps. Crenshaw and Gottheimer's bipartisan push to block U.S. software to TikTok reflects growing concerns about the app's data privacy and potential ties to the Chinese government. By calling on the Biden Administration to use its authority and urging the addition of ByteDance to the Commerce Department's foreign entity list, the lawmakers aim to protect American users and safeguard national security interests.