TikTok Ban Opposed By Democrats, Republicans; Says It’s Racist and Oppressive

The fringe voices from both Democrats and Republicans believe that the TikTok ban is racist and oppressive. These opinions may be more about politics, but they are being louder in jeopardizing the chance to ban the Chinese-owned platform.

Some Democrats and Republicans Oppose TikTok Ban [Photo: Rappler]

Democrats on TikTok Ban

Days before Shou Chew, TikTok CEO, testified in the U.S. Congress, Democratic Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Mark Pocan criticized the TikTok ban as “racist”. Consequently, days after the trial, a source from the chairman of the Committee on 100 suggested that the TikTok ban would expose Asian-Americans to more hate crimes.

According to Sobolik, Gina Raimondo, the Secretary of Commerce, also stated her doubts about the TikTok ban. Raimondo says the “RESTRICT Act” endorsed by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is a risk considering the number of voters under the age of 35 in the 2024 elections. In addition, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also states that the TikTok app only equates to other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

READ ALSO: Former Obama Adviser Dismisses Republicans’ Concerns Over TikTok As Alleged Chinese Spy App

Republicans on TikTok Ban

According to Shepardson, Republican Representative Rand Paul also announced his opposition to the TikTok ban. This is because Paul believes that the app is cooperating with the Committee on Foreign Investment to guarantee that all data from the Americans is protected from any surveillance from the Chinese government.

In addition, former U.S. President Donald Trump accuses the TikTok ban to exploit the control of what Americans do and see. The “RESTRICT Act” is allegedly a recreation of the Patriot Act that exposed the privacy of Americans to government surveillance.

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