Walz failed to ban TikTok on government devices despite nat sec concerns

China hawks have criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, for not banning TikTok in his state despite more than 75% of other states having done so over national security concerns.

When asked if Walz plans to ban Chinese-owned social media apps on Minnesota state-issued devices in 2022, the Democratic governor said his team is looking at the issue “comprehensively” and is seeking “recommendations” from technology experts in his administration. Walz also equated TikTok with X (formerly Twitter), claiming the Elon Musk-owned platform “may be somewhat dangerous.”

“I think this equating stems from a broader misunderstanding on the left that privacy is something to be protected from themselves and from big corporations, not from the government,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, a conservative nonprofit whose mission is to protect states' constitutional powers. “They generally have more trust in state institutions…. Elon Musk is not the Chinese Communist Party, no matter how powerful people think he is.”

TikTok's attempt to recruit US kids as China's 'foreign agents' to fight ban could backfire: 'Disturbing'

Governor Walz's decision not to ban TikTok on Minnesota government-issued devices contrasts with the actions of many other states and is out of step with the Biden Administration.

President Biden signed a bill banning TikTok on all federally issued devices in December 2022. This year, Biden went further, signing an additional bill in April to ban TikTok nationwide unless its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, sells its entire stake in the social media company by next year.

TikTok ban would be Washington's most important national security bill: Brendan Carr

Meanwhile, at least 39 states have implemented bans on the use of TikTok on government-issued devices. Many of these bans were initiated by governors, but some were introduced by state legislatures and later approved by governors.

The federal and state bans also coincide with warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), America's top law enforcement agency, which said there were “numerous” “national security concerns” related to TikTok's operations in the U.S. “Concerns include that the Chinese government could use TikTok to collect data on millions of users and control recommendation algorithms that could be used for influence purposes if the Chinese government so desires, as well as control the software on millions of devices, potentially providing an opportunity to technically compromise personal devices,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress in 2022.

Expert warns of 'scary reality' of TikTok threat: 'China's greatest asymmetric advantage'

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Republican Senator John McCain called the decision to ban TikTok from government devices “common sense.”

“In the digital age, protecting our state's technology and cybersecurity infrastructure and protecting digital privacy must be our top priority as a state,” he said. Wisconsin Governor Tony EversDemocrat Joe Biden signed an executive order banning TikTok on government devices.

Evers also noted that, like Walz, he had consulted with cybersecurity and law enforcement experts.

“I trust the experts working in this field, and it was important to me to consult with and receive advice from law enforcement, cybersecurity and counterintelligence experts, including information technology experts working within DOA-DET, to make the best decisions to protect our state's technology and ultimately the people of Wisconsin.”

England told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that he sees Waltz's actions as a “throwback” to an earlier era in U.S.-China relations, when the idea was often not to view China as an adversary.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Highmark Amphitheatre in Erie, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 2024. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

“Waltz still holds onto the '90s mentality of fixing China by negotiating with China, which means essentially turning a blind eye when China is stealing intellectual property or engaging in activities that look like or are clearly espionage,” England said. “I think Waltz is a throwback to an earlier era of China relations that most people have deemed a failure.”

James Comer: Waltz 'really embraces the Chinese view of the world'

Earlier this month, TikTok argued in federal court that President Biden's proposal to ban TikTok nationwide if ByteDance doesn't sell is unconstitutional. “The legislation before this Court is unprecedented and its impact would be staggering,” TikTok's lawyers said in court earlier this month, according to a federal court filing. The Associated Press.

TikTok creators are wearing buttons to show their support for the social media app. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Additionally, several pro-TikTok activists gathered outside the courthouse in support of the social media platform. Content creator Paul Tran told The Associated Press that being able to produce TikTok videos gave his company the boost it needed to stay competitive. “TikTok really reinvigorated our company and saved it from collapse,” Tran told reporters.

Click here to get the FOX News app

Fox News Digital reached out to both Walz's office and the Harris campaign for comment but did not hear back by publication time.