With efforts to force Beijing-headquartered ByteDance to sell off TikTok or see the popular app banned in the U.S. gaining momentum, Congressman Andy Barr told Fox Business the current governance and setup of TikTok does represent a threat to U.S. data security – a claim TikTok’s CEO denies.
Barr, who voted for the House bill that threatens a de facto ban if the China-based owner doesn’t relinquish its stake, claims the ownership structure of the company leaves the U.S. open to malign Chinese influence. The Kentucky Republican pointed to the app’s own efforts to mobilize its users against the recent House bill.
"They manipulate public opinion, as was demonstrated just last week when TikTok weaponized the 150 million American users to fight this bill," Barr told Fox.
Lawmaker may hit the brakes on the bill in the Senate, now that the measure has cleared the GOP-led House, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not laid out any timetable.
If the Senate does move on the bill and send it to the White House, President Joe Biden has said he would sign it.
