A classified briefing on TikTok scared senators. But they're in no rush to crack down on it

WASHINGTON – It's not exactly clear what U.S. intelligence officials told senators about TikTok in a classified briefing Wednesday – but whatever it was, it's freaking out lawmakers.

Senators of both parties who attended the meeting on Capitol Hill Wednesday emerged convinced that TikTok's Chinese parent company poses a serious threat to American national security.

"The strong impression is: TikTok is a gun pointed at Americans' heads because of the threat of surveillance and propaganda in collecting data from 170 million Americans," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. said the meeting convinced him that China is wielding clear influence over some Americans using information pushed through TikTok. "I'm very concerned," he said. "The hard information that I saw was incontrovertible."

"It was disturbing," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. "Their ability to track, their ability to spy, is shocking... I think we have to come to the realization that China – this is a brutal dictatorial regime that has concentration camps in their country, and they're hell bent on world domination," he added.

Multiple senators – facing a deluge of calls from TikTok users urging them to vote against a de-facto ban – went so far as to say the information they viewed should be made public, so Americans can better understand the risks.

Still, the chamber that prides itself on being "the world's greatest deliberative body" is not rushing to advance the bill targeting TikTok that flew through the House with a huge 352-65 vote last week, only eight days after it was introduced. That bill would force TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social media app or face a practical ban in the U.S.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., still hasn't committed to putting the bill up for a vote, noting Wednesday that he's "talking to members of (his) caucus to decide the best path forward."

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said after the Wednesday briefing that she'd be interested in a public hearing on TikTok with the Senate Intelligence Committee for lawmakers to ask questions and make arguments about the app. However, the soonest that would happen is early- to mid-April, after Congress takes a two-week break beginning later this week.

"It’s important to get it right," Cantwell told reporters following the meeting. "The key point is to get a tool that can be used to stop foreign actors from doing deleterious things that might harm U.S. citizens, U.S. military or the U.S. government. So we’re going to do that. We’re going to get it done. And we’re not going to take forever."

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chair of the Intelligence Committee, said Thursday that "a long process would not make sense," but "the idea that it's going to take longer than eight days is just how the Senate works."

But the will is there, he added: "We've heard virtually unanimous opinion coming out of the classified briefing that it's a national security issue."

Many senators have said they're willing to consider other options, including pushing their own Senate-led bills or amending the House bill. And senators of both parties have raised concerns that a bill targeting TikTok alone wouldn't stand up to legal scrutiny, as there are other foreign-owned social media apps used in the U.S.

Former President Donald Trump – who now opposes a TikTok ban – tried to restrict the app during his presidency, but it was blocked by multiple judges.

A few Democratic senators said they're interested in regulating social media more widely, including those owned by companies based in the U.S.: "We need curbs that apply to all of the social media giants, not just one of them," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

But some are frustrated that their peers aren't willing to move ahead with the House bill as-is. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said there's a reason his peers want to hold hearings and consider alternatives.

"Kill it, is the motive. And who's behind it? TikTok, of course. China. They should just make this simple: Put a sign right there on the door, 'property of big tech," he said, pointing at the doors to the Senate chamber.

TikTok has been making an effort to convince senators to oppose the legislation passed in the House. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week. Influencers came to Washington to protest the bill, and the app has been pushing users to contact lawmakers to express their opposition.

Others won't support the bill no matter what. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told USA TODAY earlier this month that he's "absolutely opposed" to the idea of banning TikTok.

"In a free country you don't take people's companies," he said. "I think it also violates the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senators are scared of TikTok. But they're in no rush to crack down.