Senate Vote Unanimously to Ban TikTok from All Government Phones

• On Wednesday, the Senate voted to ban TikTok for all government devices a second time.
• Lawmakers fear that the social media app can be used for spying on American users.
• TikTok stated that these concerns are largely due to misinformation and “unfounded falhoods.”

Wednesday’s unanimous approval by the Senate of a bill banning federal employees from downloading and using TikTok on any government device was due to national security concerns over the Chinese-owned social media platform.

The bill needs to be passed by the House and signed by President Joe Biden before becoming law.

The “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,”Missouri GOP Senator Josh Hawley sponsored the bill, which would “prohibit certain people from downloading or using TikTok any device issued by either the United States or a Government Corporation.”

TikTok, owned by Chinese company Bytedance has been around for years been under scrutinyFrom legislators concerned that it may share information about US users with the Chinese government. The Senate also passed the same banThe House did not pass the measure in 2020.

TikTok stated Wednesday that Hawley’s bill was “not an idea which advances U.S. security interests.”

TikTok stated that he hopes that instead of continuing down this road, he will press the Administration to move forward with an agreement that would actually address all his concerns.