The US government is one step closer to banning TikTok, with the Senate passing a bill that would ban it from government devices.
TikTok is under increasing scrutiny as a result of a litany of privacy scandals and accusations that it represents a threat to US national security. While a bill was recently introduced that would implement a nationwide ban, an earlier bill banning the app from US government devices has passed the Senate, according to CNN.
The bill, authored by Senator Josh Hawley, passed the Senate by unanimous consent, but has yet to pass in the House. Meanwhile, TikTok took aim at the passage, essentially calling it a waste of time.
“Once again, Sen. Hawley has moved forward with legislation to ban TikTok on government devices, a proposal which does nothing to advance U.S. national security interests,” a spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement. “We hope that rather than continuing down that road, he will urge the Administration to move forward on an agreement that would actually address his concerns.”