Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03) joined a group of Republican lawmakers in calling for the restriction of social media sites linked to the Chinese Communist Party from accessing United States markets. The letter specifically cites TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, as threats to U.S. national security and expresses concerns about the apps’ use in stealing personal and private data from Americans.
“One of the greatest challenges to our country’s national security is protecting the personal information and technology we use every day,” Guest said. “Defense of American citizens starts with restricting tools used by companies and foreign governments with malicious intent, such as those linked to the Chinese Communist Party. We would never allow foreign governments to fly spy drones over our communities, therefore we should fight back when our adversaries attempt to gain access to American households through our phones and computers.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered a similar warning earlier this year, stating that Americans should use the app “only if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
An excerpt from TikTok’s privacy policy found on its website outlines information they collect:
We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Platform, including internet or other network activity information such as your IP address, geolocation-related data, unique device identifiers, browsing and search history, and Cookies.
The entire letter signed by 25 Republicans, including Congressman Guest, supporting the Trump Administration’s actions against TikTok and other social media apps linked to the Chinese Communist Party can be found by clicking here.
Press Release
7/16/2020
Magnolia Tribune
