TikTok is one of the greatest espionage devices that's been invented in human history, according to a 2024 candidate for Missouri Attorney General who supports legislation that would ban the use of the social media site on state devices.
TikTok is owned by ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese company.
“I've done some work on this issue before,” said Republican Will Scharf. “TikTok should not be allowed in the United States of America. It's a shame that the Trump administration didn't ban it when we had the chance back in 2019 and 2020.”
Scharf, who has begun campaigning against AG Darren Bailey, was reacting to news reports that Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 41 if approved, would ban other social media sites from state devices as well.
“Any measure along those lines is sorely needed and why any state employee would have any social media app installed on a state device, much less one controlled by the People's Republic of China, is a mystery to me,” Scharf told the St. Louis Record. “I applaud any efforts to crack down on Chinese spying in the United States.”
SJR 41 was introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) and is currently pending in the Senate.
Once the resolution is approved by both chambers of the Missouri legislature and signed by Gov. Parson, SJR 41 would then be placed on the ballot for voters to decide in 2024.
“China and the CCP are not our friends,” Rowden tweeted on Twitter. “They do not share the values of liberty & economic freedom that make America great. They are a strategic competitor willing to use any means necessary to expand & broaden their power. They should be treated as such.”
It was widely reported that Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill earlier this month that would ban people in the U.S. from downloading TikTok on their mobile devices.
"TikTok is China’s backdoor into Americans’ lives," Hawley tweeted on Twitter. "It threatens our children’s privacy as well as their mental health. Last month Congress banned it on all government devices. Now I will introduce legislation to ban it nationwide."
The state and federal legislation has gained momentum since the U.S. military shot down a Chinese spy balloon, according to media reports.
State Rep. Adam Schnelting (R-St. Peters)'s House Bill (HB) 919 was discussed in a public hearing this week.
In addition to employees of the state, the Anti-Surveillance and Foreign Intervention Act would ban politicians from using Chinese government-owned apps on state-owned devices.