Still Worried on China, Tester Interested in New 'TikTok' Bill

He hasn't seen the details yet, but Montana Senator Jon Tester is expressing interest in reviewing the latest efforts by the House to address the ongoing privacy issues with "TikTok."

He says he wants "feedback" from Montanans, including regular TikTok users, to see if the new bill is the best approach to dealing with the privacy concerns related to the Chinese-owned social media app.

The House approved the bi-partisan measure on a vote of 325-65 this week, the latest attempt by lawmakers to control the use of the app here in the United States. Montana has been at the center of that controversy, with a federal lawsuit working its way through the U.S. District Court after Montana lawmakers moved to ban the app last year.

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Tester remains concerned about Chinese government

In an interview following the House vote, the Big Sandy Democrat told me he remains "very concerned" about Chinese surveillance, given the briefings he gets in Washington. And he acknowledges most Montanans "appreciate their freedom and privacy", but share those concerns.

"I'm not really somebody who likes to ban anything," Tester told me. "But the truth is, when the Chinese Communist Party had got an avenue into people's lives and can take that information and potentially use it against us, I think it bears some watching."

Tester also worries about people getting their news from TikTok, calling it a "biased news outlet."

Details to be reviewed

The bill would force Bytedance to sell the app or face a potential ban. That's similar to what former President Donald Trump was threatening in 2020.

Tester hadn't had a chance to read the bill when we talked Thursday and wants to learn what will happen if the company doesn't divest the app. He isn't sure what will happen when the measure hits the Senate. But he believes the senators will "take a hard look at it".