(NewsNation) — The chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party says TikTok can continue operating in the United States if it separates from Chinese parent company ByteDance as a potential ban looms.
Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said Monday on “NewsNation Now” that TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance poses a national security threat due to Chinese laws requiring companies to share data with the government when requested.
“It’s really in TikTok’s hands,” Moolenaar said. “We want to protect America’s data. We want to make sure that we are not allowing foreign adversaries to unduly influence the American people.”
The Supreme Court is considering whether to block a law that could effectively ban TikTok from U.S. app stores starting Jan. 19 unless the company divorces from ByteDance. During Friday’s arguments, justices appeared receptive to the government’s national security concerns.
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If implemented, the ban would prevent new downloads of the app, though existing users could keep TikTok on their devices but wouldn’t receive updates, according to Moolenaar.
The congressman pushed back against critics who question the national security rationale, citing China’s track record of hacking communications and infrastructure and conducting surveillance near military bases.
“Why doesn’t the Chinese Communist Party allow the sale of TikTok? Because ultimately, that’s who the influencers need the influence in this case,” Moolenaar said.
TikTok’s lawyers contend the national security concerns are overblown and argue the ban would violate First Amendment rights. The company says a monthlong shutdown could cost it about a third of its daily American users and significant advertising revenue.
The case has drawn attention from content creators who rely on the platform for income.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
