So says US Rep. Thomas Massie
https://www.rsbnetwork.com/news/critics-argue-trojan-horse-tiktok-bill-could-strengthen-censorship/
Last year it was the spooks said Tik Tok itself was a Trojan horse.
US Spy Agency Cyber Chief Warns TikTok Is China’s ‘Trojan Horse’
The reason given is supposedly to protect Americans data privacy.
It seems odd to specify a single, particular company in a legal bill. They could make them stop any ‘data harvesting’, or make data harvesting illegal by all groups including of course the US government.
So what is the more likely reason?
One likely factor is that post Oct 7 has seen a big spike in “TikTok’s users share(ing) content with an overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian message”
Washington’s Renewed Urgency for TikTok Ban Is Due to War on Gaza
The bill’s author said the platform’s videos about the Israeli war sparked renewed interest in passing the legislation
This would be bad enough, but many think it’s the first shot in a complete takeover of the US internet - which is the power that the bill provides.
The request came from the CIA, FBI/Homeland Security, and was made in a closed-door security hearing.
It’s bipartisan in that many leading Republicans support it, probably due to anti-Chinese sentiment. But it seems clear that an opportunity is being grasped.
Glenn Greenwald has more
The UK also had a round of Tik Tok Chinese bashing last year.
TikTok banned on UK government devices as part of wider app review
Social media app TikTok has been banned on government electronic devices, the Cabinet Office has announced today.
I haven’t heard from modeller Neil Ferguson, so here is another model instead, who at least knows Tik Tok.
I think the Gaza perspective has provided part of the reason and impetus but this has been on the radar from some time. Can’t have young Americans reading about their government lies.
ED