Republican Senator Rand Paul took a stand in opposition to TikTok ban in the U.S., adding to the list of politicians to block the bipartisan bill that would prohibit the use of the Chinese-owned social media app over national security concerns. Paul also warned his fellow GOP members that banning TikTok would cost them the elections.
Sen. Paul Contradicts General GOP Opinion Towards TikTok Ban in the U.S.
Paul took the Senate floor Wednesday to show his opposition to the TikTok ban, which has gained momentum in Congress for the past few months, as reported by The Verge. It can be recalled that both the Democratic and Republican parties agreed to pass a bill that will give U.S. President Joe Biden legal powers to permanently block the Chinese-owned social media platform in the country.
The Kentucky senator said that banning TikTok in the United States could have a chilling effect on the First Amendment, which exists to protect every person's right to free speech.
"I hope saner minds will reflect on which is more dangerous: videos of teenagers dancing, or the precedent of the US government banning speech," Paul told his fellow lawmakers Wednesday. This statement from the senator followed Sen. Josh Hawley's effort to pass his No TikTok on United States Devices Act through a unanimous vote of the Senate.
Hawley has long been critical of the Chinese government and its possible infiltration into U.S. affairs through espionage. If this bill was passed, the president of the United States can order the ban of the video-sharing app on all devices owned by consumers.
The motion to pass the bill failed upon Paul's objection, which is good news for those people supporting TikTok. However, many other bills are sitting in Congress that could negatively affect the social media app's status in the U.S.
Related Article: TikTok CEO to Address 'Misconceptions' Before Congress, Says It is Not China's Tool
Senators Claim TikTok CEO Failed to Allay Fears of Social Media Company Being Used as Chinese Spy
As reported by NBC News, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew made his first appearance on Capitol Hill as the House Energy and Commerce Committee convened the hearing that would decide the fate of the video-sharing app. While Chew tried to appeal for the public's support, his testimony was not enough to convince lawmakers to oppose the TikTok ban.
Key personalities behind the bill to ban the app in the U.S. said that Chew's testimony did nothing to prove that TikTok is not China's tool to spy on the U.S. government and its citizens. As Congress proceeds with the legislation of the TikTok ban, lawmakers are warned that banning the app would affect their chances of winning the next elections, noting how popular TikTok is among young voters.
In a separate venue, Sen. Paul gave a warning to his Republican colleagues who support the TikTok ban, stating that the move is "not just bad policy, but bad politics."
"Congressional Republicans have come up with a national strategy to permanently lose elections for a generation," Paul said in a written statement. Furthermore, the senator pointed out to his fellow Republicans that banning TikTok is similar to the censoring of conservative opinion on social media, something that the party has been trying to fight off.
