TikTok Ban Pushed by Missouri's Hawley Blocked in Senate

Washington, D.C. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri attempted to force a vote on legislation that would prohibit TikTok from operating in the United States on Wednesday, but he was stopped by a Republican colleague as lawmakers in both chambers continue to debate whether any action, if any, should be taken against the social media app.

Hawley called TikTok "digital fentanyl" and claimed it could offer the Chinese government access to data from 150 million American users in an attempt to compel a vote, a strategy that rarely succeeds in the Senate because one senator's objection can stop it. His proposal would halt and forbid U.S. deals within 30 days with ByteDance Ltd., the parent business of TikTok with headquarters in Beijing.

According to Hawley, the measure "sends the message to Communist China that you cannot buy us."

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Republican, opposed Hawley's move on the grounds that attempting to outlaw an app would be unconstitutional and infuriate the millions of people who use it. Whether you like it or not, speech is protected, Paul said.

After a heated House meeting in which legislators from both parties questioned TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew about his company's connections to China's communist government, data security, and damaging material on the app, Hawley made an effort to draw attention to the problem. Chew made an effort to reassure legislators that the wildly popular video-sharing app prioritizes user safety and should not be prohibited because of its ties to China. However, the tense standoff gave Hawley and other legislators who believe it should be prohibited or restricted fresh impetus.

The senator from Missouri stated that Congress "should act decisively to directly ban TikTok." Although there isn't a general agreement on any piece of legislation, other lawmakers have thought about more expansive methods.

Bipartisan legislation that does not specifically mention TikTok but would grant the Commerce Department authority to review and potentially restrict foreign threats to technology platforms is supported by a majority of senators in the Senate. It was introduced by South Dakota senator John Thune, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, and Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia. 

The White House has supported that legislation, but it's not obvious if the Senate will take it up or if House Republicans will give it much of a chance.

Similar to Sen. Hawley's proposal, another measure introduced by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida would prohibit American companies from doing business with TikTok. However, it would also establish new guidelines for the administrative branch to use in blocking any foreign apps it deems hostile. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., are cosponsors of his measure.

Those advocating new legislation emphasize the consensus on a law enacted in December that outlawed TikTok on the majority of government-owned gadgets. Nevertheless, the divergent ideas highlight how challenging it might be to come to a consensus on a historically unusual attempt to outlaw or restrict an app that millions of Americans use.

Paul remarked that attempting to outlaw an app like TikTok is a precarious cliff. He admitted that YouTube has censored some of his films, but he still thinks the business should be allowed to continue.