U.S. Senators are urging the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information related to TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, citing significant risks to U.S. national security. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn co-wrote a letter demanding the declassification of a report on TikTok to inform the American people about the risks posed by the social media platform's Chinese ownership.
Blumenthal emphasized the need for transparency, stating that TikTok represents a clear and present threat to national security and privacy. The lawmakers' request follows a resolution passed by the House of Representatives requiring ByteDance to divest from China due to concerns over Chinese government influence.
A bipartisan group of senators expressed deep concern over TikTok's potential threats during a national security briefing. Sen. Ted Cruz highlighted the significant risks posed by TikTok, while Sen. Mark Warner called for the quick declassification of relevant material.
Warner previously raised concerns about TikTok's access to vast amounts of user data, labeling it a national security issue. The Senate's timeline for considering the House-passed bill remains uncertain as it was recently referred to the committee for further review.
