I am against the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act
As an author and publisher, my business depends on TikTok. According to BookNet, sales for trending #BookTok titles increased by 1,047% between July 2019 to June 2022 and, according to BookScan, the bookish TikTok community helped authors sell 20 million printed books in 2021. In the first half of 2022, those sales went up another 50 percent.
And it is not only the quantifiable aspects that are making a huge impact. The most noteworthy benefit that I’ve personally experienced is the strength of the community.
#BookTok is where I found my editor, formatter, cartographer, and beta readers. It is where I can test content, ideas, and insights and get instant feedback. It is where I can interact and engage with my audiences in a way that is much more authentic than the transactional approach that we see so often on other platforms these days.
It is a game-changer.
Please don't let my business suffer.
A message from Congressman Adam Smith:
Dear Claire,
Thank you for contacting me about the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which is bipartisan legislation that would restrict app store availability and web hosting services for ByteDance-controlled applications, including TikTok.
TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world and has given its users an important platform for creativity and community. I strongly support the availability and accessibility of public forums that allow users to exercise their right to speech. However, there are justifiable concerns that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) substantial leverage over the app poses a threat to our national security. That is why I voted to advance the bill.
We should not allow certain foreign actors to freely surveil and mislead the American public. TikTok has shown a willingness to exploit user data and use its recommendation algorithm to spread propaganda. The app is situated to be used by the CCP to suppress information that portrays China and the CCP in a negative light while at times promoting mis- and disinformation to further the CCP’s political agenda and undermine the United States.
But let me be clear: The bill requires the divestiture of TikTok by certain foreign actors, it is not an outright ban. This legislation would help ensure that user data and privacy is not exploited by certain foreign actors.
I understand the numerous benefits that online platforms provide for information sharing and public discourse, and I also believe that we must take action to combat the well-documented harms of social media. There is a lot of work that remains to regulate social media, including addressing concerns around disinformation, data privacy, and youth mental health, and I hope that passage of this legislation represents the first step in a larger effort to make social media safer for its users.
The comments I receive from constituents are an integral part of understanding the issues that are important to our community. Please know that your input is greatly valued, and I hope that you will not hesitate to reach out to me or my office in the future.
Sincerely,
Adam Smith
Member of Congress
2264 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8901
15 S. Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 793-5180
Fax: (425) 793-5181