US Senate passes bill to ban TikTok on government devices

(Representational Image: Solen Feyissa via Unsplash)

Calling it a "Chinese Trojan horse", The United States Senate has voted on a bill that seeks to ban TikTok from government-issued devices.

Several US Governors have also banned the popular social media app from their offices including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah among others.

The bill will still have to pass through the House and gain President Biden's signature before it can become law.

Wall Street Journal notes that a similar bill was passed by the Senate before but never made it out of the House.

US Officials and lawmakers raised objections about TikTok's parent company ByteDance, calling them a threat to national security.

TikTok's popularity has grown at an alarming rate since its launch in 2016. According to a recent survey, it was the most popular app among two-thirds of American teens.

ByteDance has stated that it has never shared any user data from the US with Chinese officials or the government. It has also stated that it will not do so, even if instructed.

A spokesperson for TikTok told Wall Street Journal that the bill, "does nothing to advance U.S. national security interests."

Senator Josh Hawley, who co-sponsored the bill, told Wall Street Journal that TikTok, "is a Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party. It’s a major security risk."

Hawley said that until TikTok severs ties with the Chinese government, it will not be allowed on government devices.

Speaking on Hawley, the TikTok spokesperson said, "We hope that rather than continuing down that road, he will urge the administration to move forward on an agreement that would actually address his concerns.”