Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer recently introduced legislation to hold TikTok accountable amid security concerns.
The proposed Time is Up Act of 2023 legislation would require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to take action against TikTok, and parent company ByteDance, for using a loophole, which has enabled the popular app to renew applications without actual investigation since its dramatic rise in popularity in 2020, according to a news release from Luetkemeyer's office.
"As long as #TikTok remains under ByteDance control, the #CCP will continue to have access to the information of the more than 150 million Americans who use TikTok. Today I introduced a bill to hold TikTok accountable,” warned Congressman Luetkemeyer in an April 26 Twitter post.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has the power to examine and investigate transactions for a maximum of 105 days, the release reported. However, businesses can restart the review process by filing a new application.
According to the release, TikTok has been using this method for three years to extend its dealings with the committee.
"ByteDance and by extension, TikTok’s close ties to the Chinese Communist Party are massive national security threats that need to be addressed immediately,” Luetkemeyer said in the release. “The Time is Up Act would force the Biden Administration to take swift action to protect Americans from increased CCP surveillance.”
According to the Seattle Times, TikTok, which has 100 million users in the U.S., has become a significant battleground in the struggle between the Chinese government and the Biden administration over control in the tech and economic sectors, as well as national security concerns.
The conflict over TikTok started in 2020 when former President Donald Trump threatened to ban the app unless ByteDance sold its ownership to an American company, Seattle Times reported.
The Biden administration has also taken up the fight, threatening a U.S. ban if the company doesn't split with its Chinese ownership, according to TechCrunch.
TikTok refused the recent White House request, arguing it wouldn't be enough to satisfy the U.S. government's concerns, TechCrunch reported. Instead, TikTok is of the opinion that the app's distinctive method of self-regulation, which includes an audit conducted by U.S.-based technology company Oracle, along with other measures, would be a more efficient resolution.
