Senators Unveil Bill to Give Executive Branch New Powers to Restrict Foreign-Owned Tech Companies from US Market

A bipartisan group of senators unveiled a bill Tuesday that would give the executive branch new powers to take action against tech companies with ties to foreign adversaries and cut them off from the U.S. market. The bill, titled the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act, would apply to technology tied to China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela that “poses an undue or unacceptable risk” to national security.

The move comes amid concerns from US national security officials that TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, could use its vast global reach to shape public opinion by either suppressing certain videos or promoting others. Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, noting that TikTok’s collection of data and its control over the algorithm that serves user content are also concerning.

In response to these concerns, the White House has issued a directive that gives US federal agencies 30 days to remove TikTok from government-issued devices. The RESTRICT Act would give the Biden administration the power to eventually ban TikTok and other tech products in the name of protecting national security.

The bill is sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). It is unclear when the bill will be voted on or if it will pass. If passed, it would be the first major piece of legislation to address the security risks posed by foreign-owned tech companies.