U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released a statement on July 20 regarding the Department of Justice’s decision to permit federal employees to download TikTok onto government devices.
Cantwell said, “The Justice Department’s decision to allow TikTok on federal devices is deeply concerning. Federal phones contain sensitive government communications, contacts, and location data, making them attractive targets for foreign intelligence. Before clearing TikTok, Congress needs answers: Have operational ties between ByteDance and TikTok’s U.S. operations truly been severed? Who controls the algorithm? Can ByteDance access or update it?”
The statement comes as questions persist about data security and potential foreign influence associated with the social media platform. Cantwell’s concerns focus on whether sufficient safeguards are in place to protect sensitive information held by federal employees.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee reviews legislation related to commerce, science and transportation during congressional sessions and serves as a standing committee of the U.S. Senate focused on these issues. The committee is directed by a chairman and includes senators from both parties; it works within the legislative branch addressing policies on interstate commerce as well as science and transportation matters, according to the official website.
Cantwell has called for further clarity from Congress before any final decisions are made regarding app permissions for federal devices.