Congress has unveiled the new $1.7 trillion federal spending bill that would prohibit the use of TikTok in most U.S. government devices amid bipartisan concerns that the social media platform would be leveraged by China to obtain data of U.S. users or spread misinformation, reports The Associated Press.
Such a provision, which would ban TikTok use for the executive branch but not for national security, research, and law enforcement purposes, has been pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
China could "insist upon extracting the private data of a lot of TikTok users in this country and also to shape the content of what goes on to TikTok as well to suit the interests of the Chinese leadership. I think those are real challenges and a source of real concern," said CIA Director William Burns to PBS.
Meanwhile, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter noted that prohibiting TikTok use would not strengthen national security interests, adding that the platform has been creating data privacy and security plans under the oversight of the Biden administration.