Far-left Democrat Representative Jamaal Bowman blasted efforts to ban the Chinese-owned social media/spying app TikTok, saying any criticism of the platform is “racist” and ‘xenophobic.’
This, despite bipartisan efforts to ban TikTok from government devices over national security concerns.
Bowman took part in a press conference outside the Capitol Building Wednesday, flanked by a pair of fellow Democrat lawmakers and dozens of social media influencers.
There, he advised lawmakers and the public to “not be racist towards China and express our xenophobia when it comes to TikTok.”
The Democrat argued that TikTok is a free speech platform that allows businesses to thrive, in his defense of a company associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“It’s also a place where 5 million small businesses are selling their products and services and making a living,” Bowman said. “Making a living is at a time when our economy is struggling.”
(Side note, isn’t it interesting that all of a sudden the Biden economy is “struggling,” as Bowman puts it?)
“Why the hysteria and the panic and the targeting of TikTok?”
Watching progressives — who literally want it to be illegal to “mis-pronoun” ppl — defend the slave-camp-operating authoritarian CCP is way cool and totally awesome!https://t.co/sJ7gSsF4x6
— ConservativeNotCrazy (@IAMMGraham) March 23, 2023
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RELATED: Joe Rogan Slams TikTok App – China ‘Knows Every F***ing Thing You Type’
Jamaal Bowman Defends TikTok
Why the hysteria, Jamaal? It’s not racism.
Leaked audio from 80 internal meetings obtained by Buzzfeed News last year shows multiple statements from multiple TikTok employees alleging “engineers in China had access to US data between September 2021 and January 2022, at the very least.”
The data included sensitive, nonpublic data such as birthdays and phone numbers.
“Everything is seen in China,” one person described only as a member of TikTok’s Trust and Safety department said.
Popular podcast host Joe Rogan, after reading the app’s Terms of Service, declared China has access to American users’ data and “knows every f***ing thing you type.”
Joe Rogan reads Tik Tok’s privacy policy. pic.twitter.com/GZ5FxAl8XO
— Must not sleep. (@Dsignasaur) July 27, 2022
RELATED: China-Backed TikTok Has a Backup Plan to Stay in the US Amid National Security Concerns
Bipartisan Support to Ban TikTok
A government crackdown on TikTok has bipartisan support, including efforts from the past two presidential administrations to ban the platform.
In an executive order from August of 2020, former President Trump said data collection “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information” and “potentially allow(s) China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors.”
President Biden in December signed legislation passed by Congress that banned TikTok from government devices.
Does Bowman consider Biden’s actions “racist” and ‘xenophobic’?
The Biden administration is demanding for TikTok to be sold or it could be banned in the United States.
The Chinese-owned app has long been a concern for officials regarding the safety of Americans’ data. pic.twitter.com/hUi54ZehVF
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 16, 2023
Lawmakers from both parties have stated that TikTok’s ownership by the Chinese tech company ByteDance opens up its millions of American users to data collection by the CCP.
TikTok is reportedly considering a split from ByteDance in an attempt to placate Congress and as a last resort to avoid a ban in the United States.
Bowman argued that Republicans are trying to ban TikTok because they’re not as cool as Democrats. Which is an asinine argument befitting a ‘Squad’ member.
“Republicans ain’t got no swag,” he said. “That’s why they want to ban TikTok.”
Rep. Jamaal Bowman: “Republicans ain’t got no swag. That’s why they want to ban TikTok.” pic.twitter.com/pop3P1tLQG
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 22, 2023
If having swag means being completely ignorant about a topic then yea, Jamaal, you’re drowning in swag.
Bowman has a rich history of big-brain claims, like calling his Democrat colleagues who oppose filibuster reform “white nationalists” and accusing Twitter Chief Elon Musk of supporting “white supremacy” by … voting for Mayra Flores, a Hispanic Republican.
Elon Musk is not a leader. He’s just another Republican billionaire who supports white supremacy and authoritarianism because he doesn’t want his workers to unionize or to pay his fair share in taxes.
The GOP just tried to end democracy and now he’s supporting them. https://t.co/WArBQQsHK5
— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@JamaalBowmanNY) June 15, 2022
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