Lawmakers want to divest TikTok from Chinese influence, not kill the popular app, says Davids

A nationwide ban on TikTok, a video sharing app popular with young people and an increasing number of brands, is edging closer with legislation to curb the China-linked platform passing Wednesday in the U.S. House.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, was among lawmakers supporting the move, voting “yes” on the bill and urging ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese developer, to revoke its ownership of the app.

“I would say the primary concern is the provisions around divestiture of the Chinese Communist Party ownership stake in a very widely used and accessed platform,” Davids said Thursday during a stop in Kansas City to meet with business and civic leaders. 

RELATED: House passes TikTok bill that could ban app in the U.S., spawning Senate support

The platform, which boasts more than 170 million users in the U.S., is under scrutiny by government officials, with many voicing fears around data security and potential misuse by China for spreading misinformation.

“It was actually a little bit shocking to find out the level of influence and control and ownership that the Chinese Communist Party has on the app,” Davids told Startland News.

RELATED: How each House member voted on the bill that could ban TikTok

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, speaks during a KC Chamber roundtable event at Union Station in Kansas City; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Switching ownership for safer usage

Davids, alongside organizers from the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, met with Kansas City leaders, organizations, and business owners to discuss local entrepreneurs’ challenges, such as access to capital, workforce retention, and supply costs. 

“Sometimes federal regulations, while helpful, maybe weren’t written in exactly the most effective way,” said Davids. “I learned a lot today about some of the some of the things that we could take a look at and iterate.”

Check out a photo gallery — featuring images from Thursday’s KC Chamber and Kauffman Foundation roundtable event — at the bottom of this article.

Aware of the potential impact on small business owners who are already monetizing content on TikTok, Davids said she isn’t advocating for the app’s disappearance from entrepreneurs’ toolsets, but rather she and other lawmakers want a change in ownership. 

“My hope would be that, because of the popularity and wide use of TikTok, they would be able to find investors who are absolutely willing to take on that ownership stake,” she said.

RELATED: Former Trump official says he’s putting together an investor group to buy TikTok

A distracting, unnecessary, restriction

Despite the recent developments in Washington, Jake Bjorseth, owner of TRNDSTTRS, a Gen Z ad agency, believes that TikTok will not be banned, viewing the politicians acting on this issue as doing more harm than good.

Jake Bjorseth, TRNDSTTRS

“Amidst the buzz about a TikTok ban, let’s not lose sight of what truly matters,” said Bjorseth. “Despite dozens of hearings we’ve yet to see any truly social media regulation in America.” 

He added, “This is all a distraction away from a useless Congress that can’t agree on our borders, healthcare, and voting laws; but are all ready to pounce on a youth social media platform.”

Click here to follow Bjorseth on TikTok and here to follow TRNDSTTRS.

Bjorseth believes in protecting the rights of Gen Z creators, he said, but rather than resorting to the drastic measure of a ban, he wants policymakers to focus on regulatory frameworks that balance safety concerns with the preservation of the social media app.

“Any potential ban would not only stifle their entrepreneurial spirit but also curtail their freedom of expression in the digital realm,” said Bjorseth. “Gen Z creators deserve the chance to thrive, not unnecessary restrictions.”