,‘Banning TikTok is like putting a Band-Aid on a small stain compared to what is happening across the social media landscape.’ ,
That’s Representative Jamal Bowman speaking on MSNBC politics nation on Sunday just days after TikTok CEO Show Zi Chew testified before House lawmakers about data privacy concerns involving the popular video-sharing app.
– Advertisement –
“We need to take a step back,” he continued. “And if we really want to really analyze social media, the damage that’s done on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, I would argue, is far greater than what TikTok has presented.” Bad.”
Concerns that the data of TikTok’s 150 million US users could be shared with the Chinese government are driving a bill in Congress that could ban the app, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance.
– Advertisement –
The Biden administration has reportedly asked the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell their stake in the popular video-sharing app or face a ban in the US and the administration has also said it will seek Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and Republican Sen. John Supports Thune’s law. of South Dakota which could result in a ban.
Read more: Democrats and Republicans criticize TikTok CEO at hearing as bill banning app finds more supporters
– Advertisement –
And: Why was Thursday’s House hearing on TikTok different from previous tech beatdowns?
Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted on Sunday that the House would move forward with a TikTok ban, accusing the app of giving China access to data on users, including Americans.
But Bowman implored lawmakers to focus on a comprehensive security package that would protect data and privacy across all social media platforms. He accused Republicans of “intimidation tactics to make themselves appear as strong lawmakers” – such as getting tough on China with TikTok. And he said he is “disappointed that some Democratic lawmakers are responding to him and are familiar with this rhetoric.”
Opinion: Instead of banning Tiktok, Congress should do its real work.
“We need a national data privacy piece of legislation,” Bowman said. “And that’s what we should focus on, not TikTok as a scapegoat.”
