A bipartisan group of six senators and two members of the House of Representatives recently introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding Americans’ data from being exploited by adversaries of the United States.
This bill represents the latest effort to address these concerns specifically related to the data of American users on foreign-owned social media platforms, such as TikTok.
Chairman Ron Wyden of the Senate Finance Committee, a Democrat, stated that the proposed legislation “would turn off the tap of data to unfriendly nations, stop TikTok from sending Americans’ personal information to China, and allow nations with strong privacy protections to strengthen their relationships.”
A significant number of U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns regarding the security risks posed by Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, specifically with regard to the data of American users. They have raised apprehensions about potential Chinese influence over the platform, which is utilized by over 150 million Americans. In response, TikTok has refuted any allegations of improper data usage and has emphasized its investment of over $1.5 billion in data security measures.
TikTok announced recently that “well underway in cutting off access to protected U.S. user data to any employee – wherever they are.” Thus, they claimed to be ensuring that only designated employees from its U.S.-based subsidiary, responsible for safeguarding U.S. national security interests, will have access to such data.
The proposed bill would task the Commerce Department with the responsibility of identifying specific categories of personal data that could pose a threat to U.S. national security. Additionally, it aims to establish a list of high-risk countries where the export of sensitive data would be prohibited.
Furthermore, the bill seeks to regulate the export of personal data by data brokers and companies such as TikTok, specifically targeting restricted foreign governments. It proposes imposing export control penalties on senior executives who were aware or should have been aware that their employees were involved in the unlawful export of Americans’ personal data.
In March, a House committee, divided along party lines, voted to grant President Joe Biden, a Democrat, the authority to ban TikTok, a Chinese-owned platform. However, the progress of that particular bill has been stagnant and has not advanced further.
TikTok recently filed a lawsuit in an attempt to prevent the state of Montana from implementing a ban on the platform, marking it as the first U.S. state to prohibit the popular short-video sharing service.
Senator Mark Warner stressed the necessity for Congress to pass legislation granting the president new powers to ban or impose restrictions on TikTok and other foreign-owned apps. He highlighted the likelihood of courts overturning Montana’s ban, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive legal framework to address the concerns associated with these platforms at a national level.
