Kevin McCarthy Announces House Will Take Action to ‘Protect’ Americans From Chinese-Owned TikTok

This Sunday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced the House of Representatives would consider legislation to protect Americans from the Chinese-owned TikTok.

“It’s very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can’t be honest and admit what we already know to be true—China has access to TikTok user data,” House Speaker McCarthy tweeted. “The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party.”

It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be true—China has access to TikTok user data.

The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party.

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 26, 2023

This comes after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew gave several controversial answers about whether TikTok’s parent company ‘ByteDance’ was spying on American citizens. Chew claimed he did not believe “spying is the right way to describe it.”

Kevin McCarthy has long been an opponent of the Chinese-owned social media app. In December of 2022, he called on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to consider bringing a bill to Joe Biden’s desk to ban TikTok from government devices.

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“House Republicans are ready to send a bill to President Biden’s desk that would ban TikTok on government devices,” Speaker McCarthy said. “Speaker Pelosi—who claims to be tough on China—should immediately allow an up-or-down vote.”

House Republicans are ready to send a bill to President Biden's desk that would ban TikTok on government devices.

Speaker Pelosi—who claims to be tough on China—should immediately allow an up-or-down vote.

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) December 15, 2022

Last week, Kevin McCarthy announced his support for Congress moving to ban TikTok.

“Yes… I want to make sure we get it right. I think the hearing today … I think you see a bipartisan concern here with what’s happening on TikTok, especially what’s happening to the data for Americans. There’s many different ramifications here, so I think they could come together. I’d let the committees do their work and see what the product comes out, when it gets done, we’d be able to move it.”

The American people are concerned. Politicians on both sides of the aisle are making moves to assuage the legitimate worries of the public at large. 45th President Donald J Trump had the foresight to issue an executive order banning the Chinese-owned TikTok in 2020. Now it looks as though politicians of all stripes see what the 45h President so clearly saw, almost three years after the fact.