ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Top officials within the federal government are continuing to sound the alarm over popular social media app TikTok. The head of the FBI this week said he is extremely concerned the app poses national security threats.
Members of both parties are ramping up calls to regulate the popular social media app. FBI Director Christopher Wray says that because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, the data of the roughly 80 million Americans on the app could be weaponized.
Those security concerns have already prompted the departments of state and homeland security, as well as the military, to ban the TikTok from government phones.
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley wants that ban to extend to all government phones
“They trace your keystrokes. They’re really bad,” said Sen. Josh Hawley. “We should also ban the company from operating in China to start”
Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine agrees regulations are overdue. He says the White House should take the lead
“I think we should hopefully get some suggestions about what would be the most effective way to deal with real threats,” said Sen. Tim Kaine.
TikTok has repeatedly denied it violates user privacy. Last month the company said it has never targetted any members of the U.S. government.