US Senate panel okays Bill banning TikTok app on govt-issued devices
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The logo of the social media video sharing app Tiktok is displayed on a tablet screen.
PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON • US federal employees would be barred from using Chinese-owned mobile video app TikTok on government-issued devices under a Bill that passed a US Senate Committee on Wednesday, as lawmakers had fears about the security of users' personal data.
The "No TikTok on Government Devices Act" from Senator Josh Hawley was passed unanimously by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and will be taken up by the US Senate for a vote.
TikTok's wide popularity among American teens has brought scrutiny from US regulators and lawmakers, who fear their personal information could fall into the hands of government officials in Beijing.
TikTok, used to create short dance, lip sync, comedy and talent videos, said last year about 60 per cent of its 26.5 million monthly active US users are aged 16 to 24.
Under a Chinese law introduced in 2017, firms are obliged to support and cooperate in the country's national intelligence work.
The House of Representatives this week voted to bar federal employees from downloading the app on government-issued devices as part of a US$741 billion (S$1 trillion) defence policy Bill. Lawmakers voted 336-71 to pass the proposal.
With passage in the House and approval by the Senate Committee, the prohibition could soon become law in the US.
Top officials in the Trump administration have said they were considering a broader ban on TikTok and other Chinese-linked apps, and that action may be imminent.
TikTok spokesman Jamie Favazza said the company's growing US team has no higher priority than promoting a safe app experience that protects users' privacy.
"Millions of American families use TikTok for entertainment and creative expression, which we recognise is not what federal government devices are for," she said.
REUTERS
