Threatening voicemail sent to lawmaker as potential TikTok bill gains momentum in Senate
A bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok appears to be gaining momentum in the Senate
WASHINGTON -- There is a new warning about the danger of TikTok. One senator, after a national security briefing Wednesday, compared the social media platform to "a gun aimed at Americans' heads."
One week after the House approved a bill that could potentially ban TikTok in the U.S., senators from both sides of the aisle have a stark new warning about the app.
"TikTok is a grave national security threat to Americans," said Sen. Tom Cotton, (R) Arkansas.
Senators got a classified briefing Wednesday about how TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, uses the information it gathers against Americans.
RELATED: Here's what TikTok ban could mean for users, businesses ahead of Congress vote
One concern is that the app could be used by China to influence the upcoming presidential election.
"TikTok is a gun aimed at Americans' heads," added Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D) Connecticut. "I will say very emphatically, the American people need and deserve to hear what we've just been told. Because they would be deeply frightened."
ByteDance denies sharing Americans' data with the Chinese government.
This comes as Tiktok urges its 170 million users in the U.S. to contact their lawmakers to oppose the bill passed by the House -- some of that lobbying now reportedly getting violent
"Ok, listen. If you ban TikTok, I will find you and shoot you," one person says in a voicemail to North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis' office.
"To have TikTok tell these kids to do that doesn't actually help their case, it hurts their case," Tillis said
RELATED: White House wants TikTok's parent company to divest: 'We don't want to see a ban'
The bill passed by the House would force ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S.
There has been no word if the Senate will take up that bill, but there appears to be growing support for some sort of action later this spring.
Senators are now considering holding a public hearing on the TikTok bill. Congress returns from spring break April 8.
