Topline
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) joined the ranks of progressive lawmakers speaking out against a proposed ban on TikTok amid growing criticism from U.S. lawmakers about the company’s data-tracking practices and links to the Chinese government—as Democrats wrestle with fears of deterring younger voters by banning the widely used app.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Key Facts
Omar cited “censorship” concerns in explaining her opposition to the ban in a letter released Tuesday that called the proposal “bad policy.”
Instead of banning the app, she called on Congress to install new regulations surrounding data-sharing and privacy controls across all social media companies, issues she called “very legitimate concerns.”
Omar joined several progressive Congress members who came out against a ban ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony last week before Congress, in which members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee grilled him about spying and surveillance of U.S. users.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), a member of the “Squad” of progressive lawmakers and a frequent TikTok user, became the first prominent lawmaker to voice opposition to the proposed ban last week, hosting a press conference alongside Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) where Bowman alleged the proposal is rooted in “fear mongering” and “xenophobia around China.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also spoke out against a ban in a viral TikTok video last week, while simultaneously expressing concerns about Chinese surveillance that should be addressed through tighter controls on data-harvesting.
Contra
The TikTok debate has created divisions among Democrats, many of whom are in favor of a ban or forced sale. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) criticized his colleagues who spoke out against a ban, telling the New York Times last week that “anyone defending TikTok is either too caught up in being a social media celebrity or they’ve been brainwashed by the Chinese government’s propaganda.”
Key Background
TikTok has faced mounting scrutiny from lawmakers after revelations that its parent company, ByteDance, tracked the locations of U.S. citizens, including Forbes journalists, using data from the app. Chew denied the characterization in his testimony before Congress last week and claimed the company has installed protections to prevent foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. users’ data. Lawmakers are weighing several mechanisms to better protect TikTok users’ data, including legislation proposed by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Miss.) that would prohibit use of the app in the U.S. Competing legislation. The RESTRICT Act proposed by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D., would allow the president to ban foreign tech it considers a threat and could force a sale of TikTok. A third bill aimed at TikTok, the DATA Act, which passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this year, would allow the Biden Administration to sanction Chinese companies that transfer sensitive personal data.
Tangent
Democrats have expressed concerns that an outright ban of the app could deter younger voters who use it. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Bloomberg last week that “the politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, forever” if TikTok is banned. The White House, which reportedly prefers for ByteDance to sell its American arm of the company versus banning the app, is also grappling with the political ramifications of taking away a beloved social media app from a key voter base. “They are caught trying to find the least-worst solution between youth backlash on the one side and China backlash on the other,” an unnamed source familiar with the Biden Administration’s thinking told The Washington Post, referring to the risk that Biden could fuel GOP criticism that he has not taken a firm enough stance against China if he does not agree to a ban.
Further Reading
TikTok’s Potential Ban Faces Opposition From Some Democrats Amid Concerns It Could Cost Them Gen Z’s Support (Forbes)
TikTok CEO Spars With Congress Amid Growing Calls For Ban—As Lawmaker Calls Privacy Claims ‘Preposterous’ (Forbes)
EXCLUSIVE: TikTok Spied On Forbes Journalists (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/03/28/ilhan-omar-joins-progressives-opposing-tiktok-ban-as-white-house-weighs-ramifications-of-angering-younger-voters/