FILE - Devotees of TikTok, Mona Swain, center, and her sister, Rachel Swain, right, both of Atlanta, pose with a sign at the Capitol in Washington, March 13, 2024. TikTok has been urging its users to call their representatives. FILE - Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., right, speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill Feb. 7, 2024, in Washington.
While more aggressive than most, TikTok’s extensive lobbying campaign is the latest attempt by the tech industry to head off any new legislation — and it’s a fight the industry usually wins. For years Congress hasthat would protect users’ privacy, protect children from online threats, make companies more liable for their content and put loose guardrails around artificial intelligence, among other things.
Other factors are holding the Senate back. The tech industry is broad and falls under the jurisdiction of several different committees. Plus, the issues at play don’t fall cleanly on partisan lines, making it harder for lawmakers to agree on priorities and how legislation should be written. Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
Republicans are divided. While most of them support the TikTok legislation, others are wary of overregulation and the government targeting one specific entity. “It is critically important that the American people, especially TikTok users, understand the national security issues at stake,” the senators said in a joint statement.
“I think it’s a clear danger to our country if we don’t act,” he said. “It does not have to be done in two weeks, but it does have to be done.”