Legislation That Could Ban TikTok Is A “Trojan Horse”, Congressman Warns

Legislation that could ban TikTok in the United States is quickly moving through Congress.

Last week, Joe Biden said he would sign the bill if Congress approves it.

Joe Biden Commits To Signing Legislation That Could Ban TikTok, Donald Trump Comments

“If they pass it, I’ll sign it,” Biden told reporters.

The legislation, called the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, “calls on China’s ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok — or effectively face a U.S. ban,” the Associated Press previously reported.

Donald Trump commented on the potential TikTok ban.

“If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business. I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Despite opposition from Trump, Congress has pressed forward with the bill.

Per USA Today:

Congress is moving ahead with plans to force TikTok’s parent company to sell the popular social media app or face a ban, despite opposition from former President Donald Trump.

The House vote to be held Wednesday is expected to pass with sizable bipartisan support, and President Joe Biden said on Friday that he would sign the legislation if it makes it to his desk.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in Beijing. Members of the House’s Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party argue that creates “an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security” by allowing the Chinese government to “surveil and influence the American public.”

If the bill passes, it won’t be for lack of trying on TikTok’s part. The company’s CEO is expected to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill ahead of the vote, and TikTok pushed users to reach out to members last week, prompting a flood of messages that irked some lawmakers.

"The House will vote to give Biden the power to decide which apps you can run on your phone, based on whether he deems them to be owned by a foreign adversary. I’ve never used TikTok, but I’m not voting to give the President new powers to ban it and other apps,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said last week.

Next week, the House will vote to give Biden the power to decide which apps you can run on your phone,

based on whether he deems them to be owned by a foreign adversary.

I’ve never used TikTok, but I’m not voting to give the President new powers to ban it and other apps.

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 8, 2024

Massie issued a new warning Tuesday morning, calling the bill a "trojan horse."

"The so-called TikTok ban is a trojan horse. The President will be given the power to ban WEB SITES, not just Apps. The person breaking the new law is deemed to be the U.S. (or offshore) INTERNET HOSTING SERVICE or App Store, not the 'foreign adversary,'" Massie wrote.

* Images from Thomas Massie X Post *

"If you think this isn’t a Trojan horse and will only apply to TikTok and foreign-adversary social media companies, then contemplate why someone thought it was important to get a very specific exclusion for their internet based business written into the bill," Massie continued.

* Image from Thomas Massie X Post *

If you think this isn’t a Trojan horse and will only apply to TikTok and foreign-adversary social media companies, then contemplate why someone thought it was important to get a very specific exclusion for their internet based business written into the bill: pic.twitter.com/LnHsmEgtt9

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 12, 2024

Elon Musk shared similar opposition to the proposed bill.

"This law is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control! If it were just about TikTok, it would only cite 'foreign control' as the issue, but it does not," Musk said.

This law is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control!

If it were just about TikTok, it would only cite “foreign control” as the issue, but it does not. https://t.co/3hpePCE1nS

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2024

Other X users shared similar sentiment, saying the bill would be used to ban other platforms.

They will try to ban X and Rumble next if they get their TikTok ban https://t.co/7BzvtorDND

— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) March 12, 2024

Whenever government says they need more power or money to "protect you", tell them no.

Even if you think the thing they claim they'll protect you from is a real threat or not.

Government will not protect you from it. It will just take power and money, and use it against you. https://t.co/8Dmg45p4Y8

— Spike Cohen (@RealSpikeCohen) March 12, 2024

This will shut down telegram and vpns https://t.co/mXRg4lgBze

— Tim Pool (@Timcast) March 12, 2024

As much as I hate Tiktok and wish it would go away forever, this is beyond concerning. THIS 👇👇 is why Congress needs to be able to read the bills. So @GOP you better save the internet, not just Tiktok. Do not give any POTUS this kind of power. https://t.co/9WqP9canHE

— The Atomic Mom 🇺🇸 (@theatomicmom) March 12, 2024

They'll use this bill to silent X and Rumble. That is the REAL intent. https://t.co/jiEJwKpjxu

— 🇺🇸 Pismo 🇺🇸 (@Pismo_B) March 12, 2024

From the Associated Press:

A vote for the bill would represent an unusual break with the former president by House Republicans, but Speaker Mike Johnson and others have already forcefully come out in favor of the bill, and dropping it now would represent a significant reversal. “It’s an important bipartisan measure to take on China, our largest geopolitical foe, which is actively undermining our economy and security,” Johnson declared last week.

Trump said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.

“Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,” Trump said in a call-in interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok. But the thing I don’t like is that without TikTok you’re going to make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.”

“When I look at it, I’m not looking to make Facebook double the size,” he added. ”I think Facebook has been very bad for our country, especially when it comes to elections.”

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Trump has repeatedly complained about Facebook’s role during the 2020 election, which he still refuses to concede he lost to President Joe Biden. That includes at least $400 million that its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife donated to two nonprofit organizations that distributed grants to state and local governments to help them conduct the 2020 election at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the ‘‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" HERE.