Cotton Introduces First Total U.S. Ban on TikTok, Employee Visas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 224-2353
March 16, 2023

Cotton Introduces First Total U.S. Ban on TikTok, Employee Visas

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the SAFETY on Social Media Act, legislation that will sanction untrustworthy social media services like TikTok that are controlled by China and other adversary nations.
Bill text may be found here.

“TikTok captures vast amounts of private information on users—including American citizens—and provides the Chinese Communist Party with access to that information. TikTok also allows the Chinese Communist Party to manipulate the content Americans see. This bill will eliminate the threat TikTok and apps like it pose to Americans’ private information,” said Senator Cotton.

The SAFETY on Social Media Act would:

·      Blacklist and sanction untrustworthy social media services like TikTok that are controlled by adversary nations.

·      Not leave the decision to sanction the companies to the administration.

·      Force the Federal Communications Commission to remove blacklisted apps from app stores.

·      Require internet service providers to block access to the sites of those sanctioned companies. 

·      Make foreign employees of sanctioned companies ineligible for most visas.

·      Require U.S. national employees to register as foreign agents. 

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