Gottheimer calls for US to register TikTok as foreign agent

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) is calling for the United States to register the video-sharing platform TikTok as a foreign agent, arguing that disinformation and hate is being spread “unchecked.”

“I’m also calling on the @DOJ to make TikTok register as a foreign agent to monitor China’s use of TikTok as a propaganda machine to influence Americans and collect our data,” Gottheimer wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“We can’t allow terrorists and sympathizers to continue freely spreading antisemitism, hate, and lies to millions of people in our schools, homes, and across the nation,” the New Jersey Democrat added. 

Gottheimer also announced that he would be introducing the STOP HATE Act alongside Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) that would require social media companies “to report these terrorists and their sympathizers and lay a plan to stop the spread of disinformation.” He said every day the companies don’t provide a report, they will be fined $5 million.

“The content on social media platforms, especially on China-owned TikTok, is being used by Russia, China, and Iran as a tool of terror, propaganda, and disinformation to influence Americans, especially younger Americans. Using TikTok, China has the ability to control what an entire generation of kids sees and consumes every single day,” Gottheimer said in a statement.

This comes after Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) clashed on the Senate floor Wednesday following Hawley’s request for unanimous consent to pass his bill that would effectively bam TikTok from operating in the U.S. Paul argued in opposition to the bill, suggesting Hawley was promoting censorship.

“Banning TikTok, a social media app used by primarily young Americans, is a recipe for electoral disaster for Republicans,” Paul said.