First appearance on Fox: The top two House Republicans are calling on the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to brief Congress on the ongoing federal investigation into the popular Chinese social media platform TikTok.
Republicans – House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Greene (R-Texas) and Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), chairman of the panel's Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Subcommittee. Texas) wrote a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray and DHS. Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday requested information about their role in the federal government's national security review of TikTok.
“The FBI and other U.S. national security agencies are sounding the alarm about the potential for the People's Republic of China (PRC) to use TikTok for nefarious purposes,” they wrote in a letter to Wray and Mayorkas. Ta. “The concerns surrounding TikTok’s proliferation are real and growing. DHS, the Transportation Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense have banned the use of TikTok on official mobile devices, citing security concerns.” .”
“We believe that TikTok is consistent with China's interests as it broadcasts anti-American propaganda, suppresses Chinese Communist Party (CCP) critics who express concerns about human rights abuses, and clearly condones the glorification of foreign terrorists. We are concerned that the
Vulnerable Democratic senator promotes TikTok account after saying he has 'serious concerns' about ties to Chinese Communist Party
Pictured are House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Greene (R-Texas, left) and Representative August Pflueger (R-Texas), chairman of the committee's Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Subcommittee. Texas) (right). (Getty Images)
Given the lack of details about the FBI and DHS's role in the current investigation, both Republican leaders said the FBI and DHS would provide clarification and help address China's “domestic espionage activities against the United States.” He said it was important to better understand the overall effort. . ”
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, has been the subject of controversy in recent years over potential national security risks. The video-sharing platform, which has more than 150 million users in the United States, has significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and experts have warned it may collect and store sensitive data about its users.
Harris dodges multiple questions about TikTok regulation, brings up Russian interference
Wray acknowledged in late 2022 that the FBI itself is concerned about the spread of TikTok in the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (left) looks on as FBI Director Christopher Wray (right) testifies during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in November 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“There are national security concerns, at least from the FBI side, regarding TikTok,” Wray said at a Homeland Security Committee hearing at the time.
“They include the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control the data collection of millions of users,” he added. “Or they can control the recommendation algorithms and use them for influence operations if they so choose. Or they can control the software on millions of devices, making it possible to technologically compromise personal devices.” give.”
Exclusive: Jewish employees at TikTok share details of hostile, anti-Semitic work environment
In their letter, Green and Pfluger said they were aware that the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) was reviewing TikTok. CFIUS is an interagency task force established in the 1970s that is overseen by the Treasury Department and includes both DHS and the FBI to identify certain foreign investments that may pose a national security threat. I am tasked with reviewing.
This illustrated photo shows the strikethrough TikTok logo displayed on a smartphone against a background of the American flag. (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images)
And Republicans pointed to examples where TikTok could suppress content critical of the Chinese Communist Party while allowing content glorifying terrorism. For example, the app censors content about China's genocide of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic groups, but for several days last year it allowed anti-American content praising and sympathizing with Osama bin Laden. Ta.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“TikTok is a national and personal data security threat that glorifies terrorists and supports anti-American policies,” Pflueger said in a statement to FOX News Digital. “The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have a responsibility to address the Chinese Communist Party's espionage efforts against the United States, and I am proud to work with Chairman Greene to lead this effort.”
The FBI declined to comment and DHS said it would respond to the letter through official channels.
