At a press conference outside the Capitol on Wednesday, Bowman argued that American companies have caused much more harm than the Chinese-owned app and that singling out TikTok would hurt users and businesses using it for marketing and lead to a First Amendment conflict. “Let's not be racist towards China and express our xenophobia when it comes to TikTok, because American companies have done tremendous harm to American people."
The Biden administration has reportedly requested that an American company purchase TikTok from its Chinese owners, yet the possibility of a ban still looms. The Justice Department is investigating the app for allegedly spying on journalists, and legislation has been introduced to empower the Commerce Department to take action against foreign companies that pose a national security threat.
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On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, facing intense questioning about the app's data collection and alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
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Despite this scrutiny, Bowman insists that TikTok poses no more threat to Americans than an American-owned social media platform, and he urged against "marginalizing and targeting" the app. He concluded his statement by calling on Americans to resist racism and xenophobia in discussing TikTok's future.
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