Senators left a secret intelligence briefing on TikTok amid fears the platform could be used against the US in the upcoming election, likening the app to a “gun pointed at the heads of Americans.”
National security officials from the FBI and the Office of the Director of the National Intelligence and Justice Department organized the meeting with senators to share information about TikTok’s data-sharing practices and to highlight the threats the app poses to bring.
The secret hearing comes a week after the House of Representatives passed a bill that would force China-based ByteDance to divest from TikTok within about six months or face a ban, and as the Senate considers next steps on how to go further.
Leaving the briefing, senators sounded the alarm about how serious the threat from TikTok is.
“My response to this briefing is that TikTok is a gun pointed at the heads of Americans,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told DailyMail.com.
“The urgency of this clear and present danger should prompt immediate action.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the threat from TikTok must be quickly addressed by the Senate
The House of Representatives has passed a bill that could force TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from the company or face a ban in the US.
“The Chinese communists are taking advantage of information they continuously collect, secretly collecting from 170 million Americans, and potentially targeting that information, using algorithms, at the core of American democracy.”
“There is no reason why the United States Senate should sit back and procrastinate,” he continued. “We are facing an election where much of this information could be used against the United States to disrupt our democracy.”
Republicans were also wary of the impact TikTok could have in the short term.
“I believe the Senate should immediately pass and pass the House of Representatives bill, which would force TikTok’s parent company with Chinese communist influence to divest itself of TikTok and sell it to users who are not under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party fall,” Senator Sen said. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said after the briefing.
“TikTok is a threat to your data, privacy and security and a threat to the American people in the form of Chinese communist propaganda.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who was not at the briefing, told DailyMail.com that she would “lean yes” if she voted for the bill, adding, “we’ll see if there are any changes to the bill as soon as it comes. forward.’
“I think the Chinese have an outsized influence on our young people with the TikTok application,” she continued.
Both Cotton and Blumenthal said parts, if not all, of the classified briefing should be released so that Americans can fully understand how the app uses their data.
The House China Select Committee, which formed the bill, says Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials through ByteDance are using TikTok to spy on the locations of its US users and dictate its algorithm to carry out influence campaigns, making it a threat for national security.
After the law is signed, ByteDance would have 165 days to get rid of TikTok. If not, app stores and web hosting platforms are not allowed to distribute it in the US
The bill passed the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 352 to 65, almost a week after it was introduced.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew has been spotted on Capitol Hill in recent weeks lobbying against the effort to force ByteDance to divest from TikTok
TikTok creators gathered outside the Capitol before the House voted on the bill last week
President Biden has indicated that if the Senate passes the House of Representatives bill, he will sign it into law
However, as the bipartisan bill gained momentum, TikTok launched a pressure campaign on lawmakers, prompting thousands of users to call congressional leaders and argue against the measure.
One caller even threatened to kill Sen. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., if he supported the TikTok legislation.
“If you ban TikTok, I will find you and shoot you,” the caller said in a clip posted to the member’s X account.
“I will find you and cut you up,” the caller continues before laughing.
In response, Tillis wrote, “TikTok’s disinformation campaign is pushing people to call their members of Congress, and these types of callers making threats against elected officials are likely committing a federal crime.”
“The Communist Chinese company proves how dangerous their current ownership is. Great job, TikTok.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said after Tuesday’s briefing that she wants to schedule a hearing on the issue.
However, ahead of the hearing, she noted that no timeline has yet been set for the bill’s progress in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has similarly said the Senate “will review” the House bill, but has not indicated when or if the measure will come up for a vote in the Senate .
The White House, meanwhile, has indicated that if the Senate passes the House bill, President Joe Biden would sign it into law.