Lawyers Explain Controversy Over Anti-TikTok Bill

The bill is tailored narrowly to address the issue of social media serving as tools of foreign influence and surveillance, but it still could be abused.
Lawyers Explain Controversy Over Anti-TikTok Bill
The logo of the social media video-sharing app TikTok is seen during the launch of TikTok and Indonesia's leading e-commerce site Tokopedia's Buy Local Campaign in Jakarta, on Dec. 12, 2023. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images
Petr Svab
Updated:

A debate has raged over a bill that would ban the social media app TikTok unless it strips its links to China. There appears to be a broad consensus that the app is a national security risk, exposing users to risk of nefarious influence and personal data exfiltration by the communist regime in China. Many argue, however, that the bill would unduly expand the power of the federal government to control speech.

Many of the arguments and counterarguments are faulty, but there are real points of controversy regarding the bill, several lawyers told The Epoch Times.

Petr Svab
Petr Svab
reporter
Petr Svab is a reporter covering New York. Previously, he covered national topics including politics, economy, education, and law enforcement.
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