Ron DeSantis Wants TikTok Banned in the US Due to 'Security Risk'

There should be a TikTok ban in the US, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during an exclusive interview with Fox Nation host Piers Morgan, citing reports about the app's purported dangers that have brought its CEO Shou Zi Chew to Capitol Hill to appear before Congress.

With allegations flying about that the video-sharing site captures user data and makes that data accessible to China, DeSantis said he would likely take steps to prohibit the app if given the right to do so, according to Fox News.

DeSantis added that the app is a security risk as it harvests much data from people.

"There's a whole bunch of other apps and stuff out there, and, honestly, I've got young kids, and I don't want our kids on some of this stuff," he said.

TikTok, a China-based platform, is causing concern because, according to cybersecurity firm Feroot Security, it not only collects data from users who have the app installed and use it regularly but also from sites that have integrated TikTok videos.

You may be giving these trackers access to sensitive information such as login credentials, financial data, and even information about your physical and mental health, according to "The CyberGuy" Kurt Knutsson. He said TikTok pixels are collecting and transferring all that information over the globe, even if a site requires additional logins and authentications.

Moreover, ByteDance, the app's parent business, follows China's legal requirements and would be obliged to hand over user data to the Chinese Communist Party if asked.

The Effects of TikTok Ban in the US on Influencers

Marjan Tabibzada, a makeup tutorial creator on TikTok, told Yahoo Finance that a complete TikTok ban in the US would not have a significant impact on her earnings, adding, "20 to 30% if anything, but at the end of the day, the value is in the content creator."

Tabibzada further emphasizes that the effects will be financial and personal, stating that her biggest concern about a possible TikTok ban as a creator is just watching all the time and work she has invested into developing a community on TikTok go away, per Yahoo! Money.

The far-left Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who The New York Times calls TikTok's "lonely progressive defender," is among the "progressive" Democrats now raising objections amid a rising bipartisan movement to push TikTok ban in the US.

The congressman staged a press conference on Wednesday with 30 TikTok creators whose prospective ban threatens "jobs," BPR noted.

"I just realized something. Republicans ain't got no swag - that's why they want to ban TikTok. Republicans ain't got no swag. That's the problem. And I mention that in the context of engaging young people in the democratic process," he said at one point during the conference:

Ron DeSantis' 'Digital Bill of Rights'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed legislation last month to push the TikTok ban in the US state-government devices and public school and university networks. The law also covers other Chinese software, StateScoop reports.

The legislation would bring Florida on pace with dozens of other states that have pushed to ban the video-sharing app, and it would apply to all government-owned devices, not just those used by employees.

The proposal would also prohibit state and local government officials from working with Big Tech corporations to restrict protected expression and demand more transparency from Google and other popular search engines about how they create results.

Meanwhile, the White House mandated on February 27 that all government-issued devices must be free of TikTok, owned by the Chinese firm, ByteDance, within 30 days, said Tallahassee Democrat.

However, there are exceptions for "law enforcement activities, national security interests and activities, and security research."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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