US Senator Mark Warner said on Sunday (March 5) that Chinese-owned short video platform TikTok may be targetted in a legislation two US senators are planning to introduce. The legislation is aimed at letting the government “ban or prohibit” foreign tech products. Warner is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He added that TikTok would be “one of the potentials” for review.
The bill comes at a time when TikTok is under intensifying pressure over concerns that data about US users could end up in the hands of the Chinese government.
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee voted on Wednesday to give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok, in what would be the most far-reaching US restriction on any social media app.
Last week, the White House last week gave 30 days to government agencies to ensure that TikTok was not on any federal devices and systems.
Warner said he was concerned that TikTok “can be a propaganda tool” based on the types of videos it sends to users.
He said the bill he plans to introduce “would say, in terms of foreign technology coming into America, we’ve got to have a systematic approach to make sure we can ban or prohibit it when necessary.”
He said he planned to introduce the legislation this week with Republican Senator John Thune. A spokesperson for Warner said they expected to make an announcement on Tuesday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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