FBI Director Wray Backs ‘Strong Action’ Against TikTok

TikTok’s popularity with young Americans isn’t a good reason to not take strong action against the popular Chinese-owned social media app, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday. A day earlier the White House announced support for bipartisan legislation to authorize the Commerce Department to effectively ban TikTok in the U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and more than 10 senators backed the bill.

Introduced by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (Restrict) Act would allow the department to “review, prevent, and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to our national security.”

Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Wednesday he’s not sure why TikTok is allowed to operate in the U.S. due to the national security threats and the risks to children using the app. He referenced comments from Raimondo, who recently said politicians might hesitate to act against the platform because they could lose voters under age 35.

That isn’t a “strong” reason not to take action against the platform, Rubio said. Wray agreed, saying Americans need to understand there’s no separation between the public and private sectors in China. None of the other witnesses -- National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone, National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, CIA Director William Burns and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Scott Berrier -- disagreed with Rubio when he said TikTok is “not a good thing for America.” Rubio has pursued various legislative proposals for banning TikTok with Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine (see 2212270051 and 2302170033).

Raimondo said in a statement Tuesday that Commerce looks forward to working with Congress to advance the Restrict Act. “Protecting national security is one of our top priorities at the Department of Commerce, and I commend” the sponsors “for working together and proposing a mechanism to address technology-based threats to our country from certain foreign adversaries,” she said. TikTok didn’t comment.

The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Deb Fischer, R-Neb.; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.; and Mitt Romney, R-Utah.

The bill would allow the U.S. government to “prevent certain foreign governments from exploiting technology services” operating in the U.S. in a “way that poses risks to Americans’ sensitive data and our national security,” said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. It would “strengthen our ability to address discrete risks posed by individual transactions, and systemic risks posed by certain classes of transactions involving countries of concern in sensitive technology sectors.” He urged Congress to “act quickly” to send the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Warner cited TikTok enabling the Chinese Communist Party to surveil U.S. users, plus threats from Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. Thune also cited TikTok: “Our country needs a process in place to address these risks, which is why I’m pleased to work with Senator Warner to establish a holistic, methodical approach to address the threats posed by technology platforms -- like TikTok -- from foreign adversaries.”

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill to ban TikTok on state government devices and networks. Senators voted 49-0 Wednesday for SB-379. The Communications Committee cleared the bill Monday (see 2303060024). It will go to the House.