Protecting Americans’ TikTok information from China’s prying eyes is a bipartisan concern requiring new regulation, in line with a bunch of federal lawmakers.
Six senators and two representatives are proposing laws to thwart international adversaries from exploiting U.S. information, and have the favored cellular app in thoughts.
The Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Surveillance Act of 2023 emerged from unlikely allies reminiscent of Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, and Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican.
“Our bipartisan bill would turn off the tap of data to unfriendly nations, stop TikTok from sending Americans’ personal information to China, and allow nations with strong privacy protections to strengthen their relationships,” Mr. Wyden stated in an announcement.
Mr. Rubio stated stopping tens of millions of Americans’ delicate information from falling into the fingers of adversaries is a commonsense thought and folks should not belief non-public corporations to guard their information, particularly given many companies work abroad in China.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Republican, additionally took a lead function in co-sponsoring the laws alongside Sens. Bill Haggerty, Tennessee Republican; Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrat; and Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Democrat.
The lawmakers’ proposal directs the Commerce Department to establish classes of delicate private information, then create an inventory of high-risk and low-risk international locations to distinguish the place restrictions on the export of information are wanted, in line with Mr. Wyden’s workplace. The invoice would create a licensure system for exporting information to nations not on both record.
Reps. Warren Davidson, Ohio Republican, and Anna Eshoo, California Democrat, are introducing companion laws within the House. Mr. Davidson stated he considered the laws as obligatory as a result of “freedom surrendered is rarely reclaimed.”
“This bipartisan legislation represents progress on the effort to protect privacy by banning the export of sensitive personal data,” Mr. Davidson stated in an announcement. “Our data has been sold, hacked, stolen and exploited by foreign entities — Congress is fighting back.”
A earlier model of the invoice launched within the Senate final yr didn’t grow to be regulation.
TikTok spokeswoman Brooke Oberwetter stated her platform’s personal plan will shield Americans’ information and is already in progress.
“We are well underway in cutting off access to protected U.S. user data to any employee — wherever they are — outside TikTok U.S. Data Security, our U.S.-based subsidiary tasked with protecting U.S. national security interests,” Ms. Oberwetter stated in an announcement.
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