Congressional Bills Would Ban TikTok in the US

    James Martin/CNET
    

    If you’re having trouble stepping away from that addictive stream of TikTok videos, the government might shut off the supply for you. Citing the need to protect Americans from Chinese spying and propaganda, three members of Congress on Tuesday introduced legislation that would ban TikTok in the US.
    Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, proposed a Senate bill to bar TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance.?Reps. Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, introduced a matching bill for the House of Representatives.
    “TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data and censoring their news,” Gallagher said in a statement. TikTok is “Beijing-controlled,” Rubio added.
    TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
    Social media can be a powerful conduit for influence campaigns. YouTube and Facebook have warned of Russian influence and disinformation campaigns, banning accounts to try to curtail the efforts.