Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said on Tuesday that he is drafting legislation to address TikTok’s national security and privacy issues and trying to find “the sweet spot” to keep the social media app online in the United States.
Speaking at a July 22 event hosted by Punchbowl News, Sen. Markey said that President Donald Trump’s numerous extensions on the TikTok ban are “illegal.”
Federal law bans the app in the United States unless it parts ways with its Beijing-based owner, ByteDance. The law was slated to take effect in January, but President Trump has issued three extensions to delay enforcement of the law since taking office.
Notably, the law only allows for one extension of the compliance deadline.
Sen. Markey introduced legislation earlier this year to have Congress pass an extension, “which would be used in order to negotiate a deal between the United States and TikTok,” he said.
“My feeling is that there are legitimate concerns for national security in our nation, which have to be a part of any final agreement. However, there is a deal which may or may not be struck. It has to have those protections which are built in,” Sen. Markey said.
“So, I’m drafting legislation right now that deals with those national security issues, but also the privacy, especially the privacy of children within our society,” he announced.
The senator explained that TikTok violates the privacy of children and teenagers in the United States. However, he argued that many social media companies do the same.
“Let’s not just say it’s a TikTok problem,” Sen. Markey said. “It’s just part of the generic makeup of social media companies, which is why we need protections put in place.”
“So, from my perspective, I’m drafting legislation right now in order to try to find that sweet spot that can, in fact, allow for TikTok to continue for 170 million American users and 7 million small businesses in our country, while simultaneously protecting the legitimate national security issues that have been raised,” he added.