Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state has called for a ban on Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, citing national security concerns. Rodgers made the statement following the recent testimony of TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer before a congressional committee.
According to Rodgers, Mayer's testimony confirmed her belief that TikTok poses "an immediate threat" from China. She stated, "It is a national security threat," and added that Mayer's statements had "united Republicans and Democrats on the committee ... to take action."
Rodgers' comments reflect growing concerns among US lawmakers about the potential risks posed by Chinese-owned technology companies. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order banning transactions with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The order cited similar concerns over national security threats.
TikTok has denied any allegations of wrongdoing or ties to the Chinese government. In response to questions during his congressional testimony last week, CEO Kevin Mayer reiterated that all user data is stored in servers located outside China and not subject to Chinese law.
Despite these assurances from executives at TikTok and other Chinese firms, many US lawmakers remain skeptical about their intentions and have called for increased scrutiny and regulation.
Congresswoman Rodgers' call for a ban on TikTok adds further pressure on US authorities to take action against what they see as potential threats from foreign-owned tech companies operating within their borders. As tensions between China and Western nations continue to escalate over issues ranging from trade disputes to human rights violations, it seems likely that this issue will only become more contentious in the months ahead.