Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has joined the discussion regarding whether or not to ban TikTok, a social media app owned by the Chinese government.
The left-leaning “Squad” member and Democratic Socialist took to TikTok on Saturday morning to counter the widespread and nonpartisan call to ban the app. TikTok is only one app that captures vast troves of data, AOC said, downplaying worries about security and privacy. She advocated for a more comprehensive data privacy law rather than a blanket app ban.
AOC began by voicing her opposition to a ban on TikTok. She has had an account for over a year, but this video is her first upload.
She added it’s crucial to note that the US has never before barred a social media business from functioning within its borders so this proposal would be unprecedented. Over 150 million people in the United States use this app.
Ocasio-Cortez began by addressing concerns that the software steals user information and serves as a tool for Chinese spying. She downplayed the significance of those worries, arguing that large social media corporations are free to acquire vast quantities of sensitive user data with little oversight.
According to AOC, the United States is one of the few advanced countries that does not have strong privacy or data protection regulations. She explained that protecting Americans from the kind of outrageous data harvesting that firms can do without the consumers’ major ability to say no is the solution, not banning TikTok, which has 150 million members.
Ocasio-Cortez also ridiculed the government’s worries about the app’s effect on national security. Congress has not yet received a classified briefing when contemplating legislation that could affect national security.
She said having a ban proposed on such a significant matter without being informed bothers her. She added that Lawmakers must make the case to the people for banning TikTok.
AOC has come to the conclusion that a lot of this is backward. Priority number one should be preventing social media firms from collecting and selling users’ personal information without their knowledge or consent.
Around 3.1 million people have watched the video.
AOC is not the only Democrat who has spoken out against a ban on TikTok. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) from her Team also used the app Thursday to advocate against a ban via video. Bowman claims in the video that the 150 million users of TikTok and growing have found a home and a forum for expression there. It is also the primary means of economic survival for the nation’s 5 million independent companies.
California Democrat Robert Garcia and Wisconsin Democrat Mark Pocan came to TikTok’s defense this week.