No TikTok? A State senator wants to ban the social media platform in Georgia

ATLANTA — A state senator wants to ban the social media app TikTok in Georgia, calling it malware produced by China.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Jason Anavitarte, a Republican from Paulding County, posted his proposal in a statement on Facebook.

“TikTok is malware produced by Communist China to spy on Americans and influence our elections,” he said. “It is a national security threat that has no place in Georgia.”

He also called for an executive order banning the app on all state-owned devices and personal devices that access sensitive government systems.

“Banning TikTok via the legislative process may take some time, but Governor Kemp can have an immediate impact on our cyber security by prohibiting TikTok in executive agencies,” he said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Woman poses as funeral home employee, scams families out of over $80K, Jonesboro police say
• Couple injured in Atlanta home invasion robbery after woman finds strange man in garage
• 2 from Georgia arrested in Puerto Rico after kidnapping 2-year-old, US Marshals say

While TikTok is not directly operated by the Chinese government, its parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in Beijing. Under Chinese law, he said, all citizens and businesses “assist in intelligence gathering and share any data with (the) Chinese government.”

Channel 2′s Bryan Mims reached out to Anavitarte by phone Thursday, but his calls were not immediately returned.

Comments poured in on Anavitarte’s Facebook page, with many expressing support for the ban. “I support this legislation 100 percent!” wrote one person. “Finally someone doing something about China,” wrote another. Others questioned the move, saying it’s government overreach.

Several students at Georgia State University criticized the proposal. “I think that’s really stupid because everybody likes TikTok; everybody enjoys TikTok,” said Jykiya Williams. “It’s an escape from school and all that stress and stuff.”

Ferdoushi Akter agreed. “We are in the United States — why are you banning technology that’s already here?” she said. “It’s a good technology. I get so much information from TikTok.”

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Anavitarte wrote that China has a long history of using telecommunications companies for “nefarious purposes.”

“Whether it’s making sure state and local governments don’t use TikTok, or preventing the application from being downloaded in the first place, all options must be on the table to make sure the Chinese Communist Party isn’t spreading its malware in Georgia,” he said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Hotel employee accused of raping guest asking for help, Coweta deputies say A Red Roof Inn worker is accused of raping a hotel guest asking for help, according to the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.

©2022 Cox Media Group