Tennessee's top legal officer is turning up the heat on TikTok's ties to China. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has thrown Tennessee's lot in with a 19-state coalition that declared war on TikTok's alleged privacy and security missteps. The group is backing Montana's move to legally compel the app to cut the cord with its parent company, ByteDance, over national security fears.
The coalition is keen on lending their weight to ensure Montana's mission to protect user data successfully tends to fruition. "I'm glad to support Montana’s right to protect its consumers and our national security," Skrmetti said, emphasizing the legal scuffles that have already taken place in his own backyard. According to a statement reported by Tennessee's AG office, TikTok should "take all necessary steps to make its platform safe" if it hopes to cling to its American user base.
The legal backing comes on the heels of federal bipartisan support, with politicians from both sides of the aisle recognizing the potential threat posed by the wildly popular app. The House Energy and Commerce Committee showed a rare moment of unity, passing the legislation unanimously, a move that speaks to the heightened concern across the nation's political spectrum.
With its addictive nature and potential risk factors, the attorneys general have not pulled any punches when describing TikTok's impact. The brief points out the app was last year's second most downloaded mobile application globally, garnering 654 million hits. Notably, the U.S. stands as the app's largest market, with states like Tennessee considering to increasingly scrutinize the digital platform. "TikTok, like many other social media sites, is addictive and social media addiction has been traced to higher odds of depression and increased anxiety," cited the official statement.
