House Lawmakers Say TikTok Promoting ‘Complete Lie’ in Campaign to Stop US Legislation

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The bill is about ensuring China’s communist regime ‘cannot weaponize the app against Americans and their government,’ the lawmakers wrote.

TikTok is pushing a “complete lie” in its campaign to mobilize users against Congress’ efforts to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from disseminating propaganda on the video-based social media platform, according to the top Republican and Democrat on the House Select Committee on the CCP.

TikTok is actively working to prevent the passage of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (H.R.7251). On Thursday, screenshots of TikTok’s new pop-up alert began circulating on X (formerly Twitter). The notification warns, “Congress is planning a total ban on TikTok,” and urges its users to contact their representatives to “tell them to vote NO.”
In response, the committee chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) issued a statement criticizing TikTok, saying its campaign has further shown the need to pass the legislation, which they introduced along with 17 other committee members to the House on March 5.

“Today, we are seeing why the Chinese Communist Party is so desperate to hang onto TikTok, because of its ability to target Americans and promote CCP propaganda. Now, our fears are coming to fruition,” the two lawmakers wrote.

“TikTok is falsely labeling our bipartisan legislation as a ‘total ban’ of TikTok, thinking they can trick their users into unwittingly assisting their propaganda campaign,” they added. “To further highlight the threats posed by the current ownership structure of TikTok and ByteDance, TikTok users are being targeted based on their location, highlighting the exact data privacy concerns that our bill seeks to address.”

The legislation would ban app stores from making TikTok available unless the app is “fully divested” by its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance and the app is not controlled by a China-based entity.

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In China, different Chinese laws, including the National Intelligence Law and the Data Security Law, can compel Chinese companies to hand over data collected within China and elsewhere to China’s intelligence agencies.

“Let’s be clear: the script TikTok is forcing upon its users is a complete lie,” the two lawmakers wrote.

“Our bill is NOT a ban of TikTok. It’s about making sure TikTok doesn’t answer to the CCP. It’s about ensuring the Chinese government cannot weaponize the app against Americans and their government, as we are seeing happen today.”

Despite TikTok’s campaign, the bill has advanced in the House after a 50-0 vote by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Thursday.

The Epoch Times has reached out to TikTok for comment.

‘Malign Influence’

Several House lawmakers spoke to The Epoch Times and its sister outlet NTD about TikTok on Thursday.

Rep. John Rose (R-Tenn.), who sits on the Financial Services Committee, confirmed that some TikTok users had called Congress, though he had not personally received a call.

“TikTok is putting the private information of Americans into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, and we can only imagine how that information might be utilized in the future,” Mr. Rose said. “We know that the Chinese take advantage of our rather open economy and our open system, but then they use it for nefarious purposes.”

When asked about TikTok’s campaign, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), who serves on the Ways and Means Committee, said the CCP wants to indoctrinate American youth.

“I imagine that the Communist Chinese want to make sure that they can continue to indoctrinate our children using these social media platforms and that they’ll do everything that they can to try to stop it,” Ms. Malliotakis said. “So, we have to make sure that malign influence is removed.”

Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), who sits on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, said he is “standing on principle” and he won’t care how many people call him to stop the legislation.

“It’s something that if you really want to save America, you’ve got to make bold decisions,” Mr. Burlison said. “I don’t care how many people call my office who are brainwashed by TikTok.”

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), who sits on the Judiciary Committee, said some American children have been brainwashed by Chinese propaganda about how great the CCP leadership is.

“I think we have to address this because it’s in the heads of the young people,” Mr. Nehls said.

In March last year, Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, refused to take a position on whether the CCP had persecuted Uyghurs, during a congressional hearing. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have declared China’s treatment of Uyghurs as “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.”

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who serves on the Budget Committee, said it is a national security issue when it comes to TikTok.

“We’ve got to get completely separated from China as best we can. And the process starts by not letting them infiltrate the minds of young people and adults.”

Emel Akan and Joseph Lord contributed to this report.

Original News Source Link – Epoch Times

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