Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, got into some verbal fisticuffs with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade over potentially banning social media platform TikTok due to it being considered a national security threat for its connections to China. Paul, who is opposed to the bill, said that the legislation violates the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, which requires due process in order to take something away from a private citizen.
The bill in question, which passed the House this week, will ban TikTok unless the China-based company that owns the platform, ByteDance, sells it.
Here’s more from the Daily Caller:
Kilmeade argued in favor of the legislation by stating it is protecting Americans’ national security, given that the Chinese Communist Party has reportedly had the ability to spy on Americans through the app.
“The bill isn’t just about TikTok,” Paul went on to say during the interview. “It mentions TikTok by name, which is also a problem because laws are not allowed to target one company. There’s also a danger that goes beyond that.”
“So I want you to hear with FBI. In terms of banning it, I think national security should trump that and being that we’re finding out that Beijing is designing this algorithm to help divide America over the hot issues that you debate every day in Congress, from race, to gender and all these other things. Knowing that it’s been around since 2016, Gordon Chang came out and says it’s like allowing 170 million spy balloons over America,” Kilmeade stated.
“Senator, did you see the hearing or were you part of that hearing … when the CEO of TikTok was there trying to rationalize why we should leave it in this country?” Kilmeade asked Paul.
You see, I’m somewhat torn on this one. As someone who believes the Constitution should be strictly applied as the law of the land, I don’t want the government to overstep its boundaries and violate rights protected in the document. At the same time, TikTok clearly represents a national security threat because it’s connected to the Chinese Communist Party. What concerns me the most is how the app has been used to influence our young people with anti-American propaganda and dangerous trends.
“I know about the Texas project. I wish it was effective, but it isn’t,” Kilmeade continued. “We put $1 billion into it, or they did. But, he could not ensure that ByteDance —”
Here’s the rest of the exchange:
“That’s your opinion, Brian,” Paul interjected. “That’s your opinion, it’s not a fact.”
“Nobody thinks the Texas project — no, but nobody thinks —”
“It’s your opinion,” the senator interrupted.
“Let me finish,” the Fox News host said. “Nobody thinks the Texas project is up and running.”
“Well I do, so you think that nobody believes that it is —” the senator said.
“Let me just finish. They could not answer, the CEO could not assure that Beijing would not have access to our personal information for 170 million Americans,” Kilmeade said.
Paul then stated that Kilmeade’s comment is an “accusation.”
Kilmeade then fired back by asking, “Who owns the company? Who owns that company? ByteDance. ByteDance is owned by China.”
“No, it’s not. See, that’s a lie and you’re defaming the country,” Paul said to Kilmeade. “You’re defeating the company.”
The Kentucky Republican then accused the Fox News host of lying about TikTok being owned by China’s government, going on to state that it is an internationally owned company without mentioning the fact that ByteDance, which is Chinese owned, owns the algorithim. He then stated that if Kilmeade is convinced TikTok can be shut down then he has to believe that companies like Fox can also be shut down by the government.
Experts found that the Chinese government offers its nation’s children a beneficial, educational version of TikTok while U.S. children are exposed to an “opium version.” The Chinese equivalent of TikTok, Douyin, gives kids under 14 years of age a 40-minute daily limit and serves them patriotic and educational content.
Fifteen House Republican voted against the bill, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Andy Biggs of Arizona. These representatives were among the 65 congressmen who voted against the legislation over First Amendment concerns.
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