US lawmakers are currently discussing potential changes to a bill that would grant the Biden administration enhanced powers to ban TikTok, a Chinese-owned app. Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and co-sponsor of the legislation, acknowledged that TikTok’s aggressive lobbying efforts have slowed down the bill’s progress.
Lawmakers are now considering a series of amendments to address concerns raised about the bill. These concerns include potential impacts on individual Americans and the perceived expansion of government power. Senator Warner expressed confidence that these concerns can be addressed fairly.
The proposed legislation, endorsed by the White House, aims to empower the Commerce Department to review and block transactions involving foreign information and communication technology that poses national security risks. Senator Warner noted that TikTok spent a substantial amount of money on lobbying, which temporarily hindered the bill’s momentum. In a separate instance, Senator Rand Paul blocked a fast-track attempt to ban TikTok, arguing that the bill would grant the president excessive authority.
The Biden administration previously demanded that TikTok’s Chinese owners divest their stakes or face a ban in the US. Former President Donald Trump’s previous attempts to ban TikTok were unsuccessful due to court rulings. Senator Warner mentioned that discussions are ongoing, and the bill could potentially be included in an annual defence bill or a China-related bill proposed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
The need for this legislation is seen as necessary by Senator Warner. “There have been another three or four apps that have come out that are Chinese-controlled so we need a fair rules-based process to deal with this, rather than kind of a one-off basis,” Warner said. TikTok, which is used by more than 150 million Americans, says it has spent more than $1.5 billion (around R28 billion) on rigorous data security efforts and rejects spying allegations.