Anti-TikTok Push Frustrates Online Privacy, Safety Advocates

The recent uproar over TikTok on Capitol Hill has exasperated many advocates who have long demanded that Congress beef up online protections for Americans.

The House swiftly approved a measure this month targeting TikTok‘s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance over national security risks. US intelligence officials have warned of Beijing collecting personal data from American users and spreading propaganda to them on the app. TikTok has repeatedly denied such claims.

Meanwhile, technology groups, privacy advocates, and lawmakers for years have pressed for new regulations that protect Americans’ data. This congressional session alone, lawmakers have introduced a slew of bills intended ...