WASHINGTON (AP) — The young voices in the messages left for North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis were laughing, but the words were ominous.

One individual, laughing and interrupting other young voices in the background, stated, “Listen, if TikTok gets banned, I’ll track you down and shoot you.” They continued, “I’ll shoot you, find you, and dismember you.” Another person threatened to both kill Tillis and themselves.

The office of Tillis has reported receiving approximately 1,000 phone calls regarding the popular app TikTok since the House passed a bill that would prohibit the app’s usage if its Chinese owner does not divest. TikTok has been actively encouraging its users, many of whom are adolescents, to contact their representatives by making it easy to access their phone numbers through a link. Upon opening the app, users were met with a pop-up message from the company stating that the government may take away the beloved community of millions of Americans.

Tillis, a proponent of the House legislation, notified the authorities about the interaction. In an interview, he expressed his disapproval towards the incident, citing how it highlights the significant impact of social media platforms on youth.

TikTok has recently launched a strong lobbying effort, which is in line with the tech industry’s ongoing efforts to prevent any potential new laws. This has been a successful strategy for the industry in the past. Despite various bills introduced to address issues such as protecting user privacy, safeguarding children from online dangers, holding companies accountable for their content, and regulating artificial intelligence, these have not been effectively passed by Congress over the years.

“I find it almost shameful,” states Mark Warner, a former tech executive who now serves as the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He is one of the supporters of the TikTok bill and has been advocating for his colleagues to regulate the tech industry for a long time. “I would not want us to maintain our record of having zero success in passing legislation on tech.”

The TikTok bill is believed by some to be the most effective way to oversee the technology sector and establish a standard, albeit limited to one specific company. President Joe Biden has expressed his intention to approve the House bill, which received a significant 362-65 vote in favor this month and was referred to the floor after a rare 50-0 committee vote.

However, it is currently facing obstacles in the Senate as there is not much agreement on the most effective strategy to prevent China from obtaining private data from the app’s 170 million American users or influencing them through its algorithms.

The Senate is facing obstacles from additional factors. The technology industry is vast and falls under the oversight of various committees. Furthermore, the topics involved do not align with political affiliations, making it more challenging for legislators to reach a consensus on priorities and creating legislation. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has not fully embraced the TikTok bill and has proposed holding hearings before considering the possibility of revising it.

Cantwell stated that we are currently in the midst of a process and emphasized the importance of ensuring it is done correctly.

Warner believes that the House bill presents the most promising opportunity for progress after a long period of no action. He also highlights the alarming calls from youth as a strong illustration for why this legislation is necessary. It raises the question of whether we want the Communist Party of China to have the ability to manipulate such messaging.

Certain legislators are concerned about the potential backlash from the youth demographic, who make up a significant portion of voters, if TikTok is blocked. However, Senator Warner notes that the conversation has evolved from considering a complete prohibition a year ago to the current proposed legislation in the House. This bill would require TikTok, a subsidiary of ByteDance Ltd., to divest its ownership in order to remain in operation.

Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on a televised interview on Sunday where she recognized the widespread use of the app and its role in generating income for many individuals. She stated that the government’s plan is not to ban TikTok, but rather address its ownership. “We recognize its purpose, usefulness, and the pleasure it brings to a large number of people,” Harris shared on ABC’s “This Week.”

The Republican party is experiencing internal splits. Many members favor the TikTok legislation, but there are concerns among some about excessive government control and targeting of a single entity.

“The passage of the House TikTok ban is not just a misguided overreach; it’s a draconian measure that stifles free expression, tramples constitutional rights, and disrupts the economic pursuits of millions of Americans,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul posted on X, formerly Twitter.

In an effort to gain backing from fellow legislators, Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee have urged intelligence organizations to release classified details concerning TikTok and its ownership in China, which have been shared during confidential meetings with senators.

The senators released a joint statement emphasizing the importance of American citizens, particularly those who use TikTok, being aware of the potential national security concerns involved.

Blumenthal and Blackburn have separate legislation they have been working on for several years aimed at protecting children’s online safety, but the Senate has yet to vote on it. Efforts to regulate online privacy have also stalled, as has legislation to make technology companies more liable for the content they publish.

Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader of the Senate from New York, attempted to promptly pass a law aimed at regulating the rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector, but so far there has been no progress.

Schumer has not provided much information regarding the TikTok bill and has not indicated whether he plans to bring it to the Senate for discussion.

After the House passed the bill, he only mentioned that the Senate will examine it once it is received from the House.

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, has collaborated with Schumer on the initiative for artificial intelligence. He believes that the Senate can eventually approve a bill concerning TikTok, even if it undergoes some changes. He notes that the private briefings have persuaded most members to recognize the need to tackle the issue of data collection from the app and its potential for spreading misinformation to its users.

He expressed concern that not taking action would pose a significant threat to our nation. The timeframe for action is flexible, but it must be addressed.

Rounds and Schumer continue to have frequent discussions regarding artificial intelligence and plan to share their proposals with the public soon. Rounds expresses confidence in the Senate’s ability to eventually implement regulations for the technology industry.

“We will not attempt to enter certain areas, but we have strong consensus on some areas,” stated Rounds.

Senator Tillis suggests that senators may need to persist in preparing and informing their colleagues on the necessity of certain regulations, with the intention of passing a bill in the upcoming Congressional session.

According to Tillis, it is not akin to the lawless and untamed Wild West.

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Stephen Groves, a writer for the Associated Press, provided input for this report.

Source: wral.com