In a move fueled by national security concerns, the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to pass a bill that could effectively ban popular social media platform TikTok in the United States, or force its sale. The bill cites worries over TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, being based in Beijing and the potential threat posed by China's intelligence laws. However, critics argue that targeting TikTok alone falls short of addressing the broader issue of data privacy and the need for comprehensive legislation that applies to all Big Tech companies.

The bill, which won bipartisan support, highlights fears that China could compel ByteDance to surrender the data of American TikTok users to the Chinese Communist Party. The legislation has gained political traction in an election year, appealing to voters concerned about US national security. Yet, critics argue that solely focusing on TikTok neglects the larger privacy concerns and risks posed by other social media giants.

While lawmakers have rapidly pushed this bill through the House, they have largely failed to enact broader regulations to rein in the power of Big Tech companies. This limited approach to privacy legislation raises concerns that American social media users' data will be vulnerable to surveillance by various actors, including China, Russia, and even the US government.

Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group, emphasized the need for strong privacy legislation to protect data from all Big Tech companies, rather than singling out TikTok. Evan Greer, the director of the organization, criticized the bill as being shortsighted and dangerous. Greer argued that the focus should be on comprehensive privacy laws applicable to all social media platforms to safeguard users' data.

Critics further point out the lack of substantive evidence that suggests China has accessed TikTok user data. In contrast, there have been documented instances of other platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, being exploited by Russian operatives during the 2016 US presidential elections. Additionally, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has faced scrutiny for rolling back election-related content moderation policies and allowing political ads questioning the 2020 election outcome.

Justin Sherman, a cybersecurity expert, highlighted the need to separate the concerns raised by TikTok's ownership by ByteDance from the larger issue of privacy and cybersecurity regulations for all companies. Despite acknowledging the legitimacy of some national security concerns regarding TikTok, Sherman criticized Congress for its failure to generate bipartisan consensus and take decisive action on broader privacy and cybersecurity matters.

According to Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, the bill passed by the House represents a missed opportunity. Jaffer noted that Congress could have addressed the significant concerns associated with TikTok without restricting Americans' access to the platform. He urged lawmakers to focus on passing comprehensive privacy legislation that encompasses the entire tech industry.

As the TikTok bill moves forward, raising questions about software updates, data storage, transmission, and national security, critics maintain that it does not adequately address the underlying problems. The call for a comprehensive privacy law that protects user data from all Big Tech companies echoes the sentiment of experts and advocates concerned about the broader implications of data privacy and cybersecurity in the digital age.