MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – United States Senators on both sides of the aisle unveiled the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act Tuesday afternoon. The legislation is built to combat security threats from hardware, software, and social media apps like TikTok.
“So what we are trying to deal with here is the risks of insecure information and communication Technologies ICT,” said co-sponsor of the bill, Virginia Senator Mark Warner. “With that in mind, I’m proud to stand here with some of our co-sponsors on the restrict act, which will give the president and, more specifically, the Secretary of Commerce new authorities to mitigate the threats.”
The legislation would work to combat tech from countries including China, Russia, and North Korea. The act outlines the purpose of identifying, deterring, and disrupting technology products foreign adversaries are interested in and pose a risk to national security.
“We know that technology is changing rapidly,” said Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. “While many of these Technologies and platforms are popular, especially with our young people. We also know these products have the potential to endanger American users and threaten our entire National Security.”
Baldwin says companies controlled by adversary countries, like TikTok, are growing with little oversight and no transparency. But Madison Area Technical College marketing professor Steve Noll is skeptical the law can keep up with the apps.
“Yeah, I think it’s a good first step,” said Noll.
He says the problem is still the speed at which apps that pose a potential security risk can be distributed before legal action can occur.
“The dangers of TikTok have been something that has been discussed for six years, but only now is it really coming to the Forefront,” said Noll. “That’s how slow the law moves and the idea that an app could come out and within 24 hours, data scrape a hundred million Americans and then be pulled from the market in one day, when it takes the government five years to take TikTok seriously, that to me is what’s frightening.”
The White House released a statement saying President Joe Biden backs the bill and will work with both parties to get the bipartisan act to his desk.
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