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South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson filed a brief this week in support of a national ban of the TikTok app – a social media platform beloved by GenZers and children.
Wilson and twenty other attorneys general are asking the U.S. appeals court for the District of Columbia to uphold the national TikTok divest-or-ban legislation passed by congress (and signed by Joe Biden) earlier this year after the app’s parent company confirmed its technology and infrastructure are ultimately controlled by the Chinese government.
“TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, an enemy of the United States, so its operations in the U.S. pose a serious threat to our national security,” Wilson said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to protect not only our national security but our children.”
FITSNews has previously reported on Wilson efforts against the platform – which he has accused of exploiting and harming young users and deceiving the public about its multiple alleged dangers, including:
- Deploying a business model that is designed to be addictive and maximize the time young users spend on the platform.
- Using manipulative features, such as continuous scrolling, to keep kids and teens on the platform longer.
- Marketing the platform and platform features to parents as safe for kids and teens online and in app stores.
According to the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of all teens between the ages of 13 and 17 reported using TikTok, causing parents to pile on the criticism by saying their children are suffering because of the app.
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TikTok attorneys have argued the First Amendment gives the company “the right to operate,” but the attorneys general insist the congressional ban doesn’t violate free speech because it doesn’t target activities like speech or expression – nor does it single out people for expressing their views.
“TikTok is a valuable tool for conducting corporate and international espionage, and it may allow the Chinese Communist Party to track the real-time locations of public officials, journalists, and other individuals adverse to the Chinese Communist Party’s interests,” the attorneys generals stated in the brief.
The attorneys general are asking the court to deny TikTok’s petition – arguing it is within the power of congress to act on matters of national security and foreign affairs.
Wilson is not alone among Palmetto politicians in targeting the app. Governor Henry McMaster has previously sought to to block the platform on state electronic devices.
“Federal law enforcement and national security officials have warned that TikTok poses a clear and present danger to its users, and a growing bi-partisan coalition in Congress is pushing to ban access to TikTok in the United States,” McMaster wrote two years ago in a letter (.pdf) to the executive director of the S.C. Department of Administration (SCDA).
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RELATED | ‘TIKTOK YA DON’T STOP‘
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While GOP politicians at both the state and national level have made targeting the app a priority, it has no shortage of defenders. In a recent guest column on this media outlet, former University of South Carolina student Emma Farrell argued privacy concerns raised about TikTok were “not specific to (the app) – nor are they a justification for banning (it).”
“Rather than solely targeting TikTok, the federal government should establish a standard for all companies operating in the U.S. to ensure Americans’ data and privacy is protected,” Farrell wrote.
Four months ago, Pew Center research revealed that only 32 percent of American adults supported a TikTok ban – down from 50 percent in March of 2023.
Of interest? Wilson’s brief was announced on the same day U.S. Treasury officials reported a “major” espionage event allegedly perpetrated earlier this month by state-sponsored Chinese hackers. A security provider notified the Treasury of the attack on December 8, 2024, prompting it to notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).
Count on this media outlet to continue following these cases as they move forward…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from J. L. Mann High School in 2021. She is currently a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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4 comments
How will AG Wilson work “with” Trump to protect our security and children from TikTok when Trump came out in support of TikTok some months ago. At that time, Trump reversed himself on his earlier criticism of the dubious site and even joined it. As in his last term, Trump just keeps flip-flopping all over the place.
Nothing like our “small government” RINOs still supporting the banning of a company and stifling free speech with specious arguments. This is no different than “free speech zones” and blocking public comments at meetings.
Alan Wilson will never let truth or freedom stand in the way of his quest to be governor.
Sooo if TikTok is such a threat, shouldn’t the US also ban Chinese made phones that run TikTok??? One would think the device would be more of a threat. Who knows what the Chinese Commies have hidden in those phone chip sets.