RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Is it time to stop scrolling?
Virginia is the latest state to strike out against the popular phone app TikTok. Following Montana’s attempted TikTok ban earlier this year, 18 other state leaders are now coming forward in support of it, including Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is leading the charge.
“Tiktok is an unbelievable consumer protection threat to our America’s youth,” Miyares said.
Miyares filed a brief in support of Montana’s ban. In it, he railed against the app’s data collection policy, claiming the app “aggressively” gathers data from its users.
“Most people don’t realize that every single keystroke, every single search, your text messages, your images on your phone, even your voice and face recognition are now owned by the Chinese Communist government,” Miyares said.
Additionally, the brief goes on to say the app is “addictive,” and affecting the mental health of the young people who use it.
“We’re facing a mental health crisis with young people unlike we’ve ever seen, and the videos and the messages that TikTok is constantly bombarding our young people is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” Miyares said.
Those in opposition claim that a TikTok ban would be a violation of users’ First Amendment Rights. But to that, Miyares says, the app can choose to work with the government and alter their policies.
“Tiktok has a choice. It can be a responsible corporate actor,” he said. “They can actually come to the table,” he said.
