Lawmakers, local content creators talk potential ban on TikTok

Members of the House and Senate as well as Pittsburgh content creators are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.

Members of the House and Senate as well as Pittsburgh content creators are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.

POTENTIAL BAN. TIKTOK IS USED BY AROUND 170 MILLION AMERICANS, SOME JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT OTHERS USE IT AS PART OF THEIR LIVELIHOOD. TONIGHT, WE HEAR FROM A CONTENT CREATOR WHO SHARES HIS PERSPECTIVE ON A POTENTIAL BAN. IT’S CERTAINLY A DANGEROUS PRECEDENCE. UM, AND IT DOES OPEN THE FLOODGATES. BUT I’M AN OPTIMIST, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IF IT WERE TO BE BANNED, WHICH I HOPE IT ISN’T THAT IT WOULD END THERE. BUT THERE ARE SIGNS THAT THAT SHOW THAT IT MIGHT NOT. MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VOTING WEDNESDAY TO BAN TIKTOK FROM U.S. APP STORES. IF THE CHINA BASED OWNER DOESN’T SELL TO A U.S. APPROVED BUYER, THE BILL SUPPORTS CLAIMS THAT TIKTOK IS A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY BECAUSE TIKTOK’S OWNER, A CHINESE TECHNOLOGY FIRM BYTEDANCE, COULD SHARE USER DATA WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THREE MEMBERS OF PENNSYLVANIA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE BILL. IT NOW HEADS TO THE SENATE. UNITED STATES SENATOR BOB CASEY SAYING TIKTOK’S CONNECTION TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNING AND QUOTE, AS I REVIEW THE HOUSE BILL, MY TOP PRIORITY REMAINS U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AND PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM INFLUENCE BY AN ADVERSARIAL GOVERNMENT. AND SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN POSTED TO X, QUOTE, CHINA BENDS AMERICAN COMPANIES TO ITS WILL ALL THE TIME. IT’S LONG OVERDUE TO PUSH BACK, AND THIS BILL DOES EXACTLY THAT. HUNTER PROSPER SAYS IF THE APP WERE TO BE BANNED, AMERICANS WOULD LOSE OUT ON PLATFORMS LIKE HIS BASED ON CONNECTION AND POSITIVITY. I GO AROUND THE COUNTRY, ACTUALLY, THE WORLD, AND I INTERVIEW STRANGERS AND ASK THEM DEEP QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR LIFE AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT WE’RE ALL ALIKE. UM, AT LEAST MORE ALIKE THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT. UM, AND THAT EMOTIONS CONNECT US. THAT BILL PASSED WITH 362 VOTES, JUST 65 AGAINST IT. REPORTIN

Lawmakers, local content creators talk potential ban on TikTok

Members of the House and Senate as well as Pittsburgh content creators are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.

Members of the House and Senate, as well as local content creators, are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.“I spent a lot of my life working as a nurse, and I still do, and now I get to build bonds with people outside of the hospital,” content creator Hunter Prosper said.He says that’s all thanks to TikTok, the app at the center of a bipartisan bill passed by the House Wednesday.Members of Congress voting to ban TikTok from American app stores if the China-based owner doesn’t sell to a U.S.-approved buyer.The bill supports claims that TikTok is a threat to national security because TikTok’s owner, a Chinese technology firm, Bytedance, could share user data with the Chinese government.According to the app’s website, 170 million Americans use the app, and it’s the preferred platform for five million businesses.“For them, that's a huge hit for sure, and for me, that's a big hit. I am a nurse, but I still take a lot of pride in making content on TikTok,” Prosper said.Three members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation voted in favor of the bill.Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, saying the bill “gives TikTok a choice: separate from the CCP or you’re out of the American market.”Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio said in a statement, “It is both a national security and cybersecurity imperative to get the CCP out of American phones, out of our data, and out of TikTok. This app can and should continue, but only non-adversary ownership and subject to American privacy protections."That bill was passed with a majority of 362 votes for it and 65 against it. Now, it heads to the Senate.Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government is concerning.“As I review the House bill, my top priority remains U.S. National security and protecting Americans from influence by an adversarial government,” Casey said.Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman posted on X, “China bends American companies to its will all the time. It’s long overdue to push back and this bill does exactly that.”“It’s nice to see everyone working together. It’s just a shame that this is the topic they're working together on,” Prosper said.

PITTSBURGH —

Members of the House and Senate, as well as local content creators, are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.

“I spent a lot of my life working as a nurse, and I still do, and now I get to build bonds with people outside of the hospital,” content creator Hunter Prosper said.

He says that’s all thanks to TikTok, the app at the center of a bipartisan bill passed by the House Wednesday.

Members of Congress voting to ban TikTok from American app stores if the China-based owner doesn’t sell to a U.S.-approved buyer.

The bill supports claims that TikTok is a threat to national security because TikTok’s owner, a Chinese technology firm, Bytedance, could share user data with the Chinese government.

According to the app’s website, 170 million Americans use the app, and it’s the preferred platform for five million businesses.

“For them, that's a huge hit for sure, and for me, that's a big hit. I am a nurse, but I still take a lot of pride in making content on TikTok,” Prosper said.

Three members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation voted in favor of the bill.

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, saying the bill “gives TikTok a choice: separate from the CCP or you’re out of the American market.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio said in a statement, “It is both a national security and cybersecurity imperative to get the CCP out of American phones, out of our data, and out of TikTok. This app can and should continue, but only non-adversary ownership and subject to American privacy protections."

That bill was passed with a majority of 362 votes for it and 65 against it. Now, it heads to the Senate.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government is concerning.

“As I review the House bill, my top priority remains U.S. National security and protecting Americans from influence by an adversarial government,” Casey said.

Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman posted on X, “China bends American companies to its will all the time. It’s long overdue to push back and this bill does exactly that.”

“It’s nice to see everyone working together. It’s just a shame that this is the topic they're working together on,” Prosper said.

Lawmakers, local content creators talk potential ban on TikTok

Members of the House and Senate as well as Pittsburgh content creators are weighing in on the bill that would ban TikTok.

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