East Michigan News

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill with strong bipartisan support aimed at preventing foreign adversaries from owning social media apps operating in the United States. Congressman John Moolenaar, a key figure in the passing of the legislation, emphasized the importance of the bill in protecting national security.

Moolenaar, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, expressed his concerns about the ownership of TikTok by the Chinese Communist Party, stating, "TikTok is owned by the Chinese Communist Party and we cannot allow the CCP to indoctrinate our children." He further urged Americans to consider the risks of having their data owned by the CCP and encouraged them to stop using the app.

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, co-sponsored by Moolenaar, received overwhelming support in the House, with a vote of 352 to 65, and one member voting present. The bill requires foreign adversaries such as the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, North Korea, and Iran to sell social media apps they control in the United States if deemed a threat to national security.

In response to a misinformation campaign by TikTok, Moolenaar penned an op-ed in The Detroit News to clarify the purpose of the legislation. The Congressman's dedication to national security and the protection of American citizens from potential threats posed by foreign-controlled social media apps was evident in his efforts to pass the bill.

The legislation aims to ensure that social media platforms owned by foreign adversaries are prohibited from conducting business in the United States, with specific attention to apps like TikTok, owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. The bill's passage in the House marks a significant step towards safeguarding national security interests in the realm of social media ownership.