TIKTOK TARGETED AGAIN

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced legislation Tuesday that would send consumers warnings before they download applications developed in countries considered national security risks.

If passed, the bill would mean that users would be alerted about alleged risks of downloading the hugely popular short-form video platform TikTok, which is linked to Chinese company ByteDance.

Users would also be notified if trying to download FaceApp, a product with ties to Russia that saw significant use last summer.

“Some phone apps are fun and useful, others are counterintelligence threats,” Banks said in a statement.

“Americans should know which is which before they hit the download button. Parents and consumers have a right to a warning that by downloading some apps like Russia’s FaceApp or China’s TikTok, their data may be used against the United States by an adversarial or enemy regime.”

In addition to Russia and China, apps from Venezuela, Syria, Sudan, Iran and North Korea would have warnings attached to them.