Critics Raise Concern “RESTRICT” Act Gives Biden “New Authority” While Leaving Chinese TikTok App In Place

The RESTRICT Act — one of the bills currently in the Senate which could ban TikTok — has the potential to provide President Joe Biden with “new authority” while doing nothing to stop the Chinese-based app, Republican lawmakers and digital rights activists warn.The White House has endorsed the legislation and has urged Congress to send it to Biden’s desk, applauding the bipartisan efforts of Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune.The endorsement came shortly after the Chinese-based app hired SKDK — a PR firm filled with former senior figures in the Biden administration — to help with policy communications, Politico reported. White House senior adviser Anita Dunn, who is a founding partner of SKDK, encouraged allies to use the app before Biden’s State of the Union address, according to the outlet. Anita Dunn: What did she know about SKDK’s TikTok deal and when did she know it? Urging influencers to spread Biden talking points on TikTok as the PR firm she founded was negotiating a deal to rep the CCP 🇨🇳 spyware? https://t.co/jw5QYwYwSH — Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) March 30, 2023 White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Politico that Dunn’s directions were not new: “we work with outside supporters to spread our message on the major social media platforms, including TikTok.” TikTok has become a key element of the Biden administr …