Calif. Senate Panel Supports Banning Social Apps by Concerning Countries

A bipartisan California bill that would effectively ban TikTok on state government devices cleared the Senate Governmental Organization Committee Tuesday. SB-74 by Sens. Bill Dodd (D) and Brian Jones (R) would prohibit high-risk social media apps at least partly owned by an entity or "country of concern." The proposal is similar to actions taken in most states and at the federal level, Dodd said at the livestreamed hearing. Consumer Federation of California Executive Director Robert Herrell praised the bill for not naming specific apps. California’s approach is more reasonable than what some other states have done, he added. Eleven of 15 committee members voted yes in the committee’s initial vote, enough to approve the measure. The other four members weren’t present.