A bipartisan chorus of politicians and pundits is growing against TikTok after Forbes released a new report on how Communist China’s state-run media accounts are secretly trying to influence American politics.
Some saw this as a deeply important cultural issue, given TikTok’s appeal to young people. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas called the program “corrupting young Americans and teaching them to hate their country.”
MediaLinks TV, as Forbes notedA “registered foreign agent and major Washington-based Chinese Communist Party television outlet” has been using the @NewsTokks account to create TikTok videos attacking politicians (mostly Republicans), including Sen. Ted Cruz. and Marco Rubio, as well as Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
MediaLinks TV also uses its TikTok accounts to criticize the United States on race relations and gun control. It is not clear whether the comment on TikTok came from a foreign country.
In a statement, Sen. Rubio told Fox News Digital that “it’s ridiculous that TikTok, an app I’ve been warning about for years, has allowed a smear campaign against me to be conducted overseas without any address.” He added that the app’s “gimmick” would prove that “TikTok should divest itself of any Chinese ownership or influence or be banned from operating in the United States.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Senator Cruz said, “TikTok is being used by the Chinese Communist Party for espionage and propaganda… It’s long past time for the US to take action against it.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Gordon Chang, author of China’s Impending Collapse, supported the findings of the Forbes report.
“This is Beijing trying to influence American politics. TikTok [is] the dagger was aimed at the heart of the United States,” he said.
Regarding Communist China’s propaganda efforts on TikTok, he warned complacent America: “The United States is a very powerful society, but China can destroy America because they are attacking us and we are not defending ourselves.”
The author and China expert singled out President Biden for overturning Donald Trump’s TikTok ban and general inaction. He said Biden is “allowing a foreign regime to attack his political opponents. That’s wrong.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Senator Cotton responded to this latest revelation by painting a broader picture of the dangers of TikTok.
“Corrupting young Americans with a social networking app and teaching them to hate their country is something that the Chinese Communists have long loved,” he said. “Worse, the Americans are inviting them to do it.”
He added: “You wouldn’t invite a Chinese spy into your home, so why would you download Chinese spyware on your phone? Delete it now.”
On Friday morning, TikTok issued a statement in response to the Forbes report.
“We continue to speak with experts around the world to inform ongoing development and inform global state-controlled media policies and product features,” said spokesperson Jamie Favazza.
Fawazza promised more clarity in the new year on government accounts using TikTok, including in China: “As part of our continued focus on media literacy, we plan to introduce our state-run media policy and appropriate labels next year.” As we previously confirmed, global distribution includes Chinese state media.
“I’m not at all surprised to see the Chinese Communist Party take a page out of Russia’s playbook, but I’m disappointed that Congress hasn’t acted to prevent it,” said the office of Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia. In a statement to Fox News Digital. “In the wake of Russian interference in the 2018 election, I co-sponsored the Act to Prevent Foreign Interference in American Elections.”
Wisconsin Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher’s office told Fox News Digital: “That’s exactly what I warned about. Although it is good that we won the CCP’s efforts this time, we may not be so lucky next time.”
“It’s time to ban TikTok before it’s too late,” Gallagher concluded.
This view was echoed by Gordon Chang. He pointed out that there are only two alternatives when dealing with TikTok.
“Ban TikTok in the United States or force it to sell all ownership rights to an American company….Beijing has nothing to do with TikTok,” he said.
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