Republican Presidential Candidates Criticize TikTok as 'Dangerous', 'Controlled by Communist China'

Wednesday seven U.S. Republican candidates for President held their second debate before the 2024 primary - during which TikTok led to some surprisingly heated attacks against entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy: Moderator: Mr. Ramaswamy, TikTok is banned on government-issed devices because of its ties to the Chinese government. Yet you joined TikTok at the dinner with boxer and influencer Jake Paul. Should the commander in chief be so easily persuaded by an influencer? Vivek Ramaswamy: So the answer is, I have a radical idea for the Republican party: we need to win elections. And part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are. So when I get into office, I've been very clear. Kids under the age of 16 should not be using addictive social media. We're only going to ever get to declaring independence from China, which I favor, if we actually win. So while the Democrats are running rampant reaching the next generation three-to-one, there's exactly one person in the Republican party - which talks a big game about reaching young people - and that's me.... [Scattered applause] Donald Trump declined to participate in the debate. But his former vice president Mike Pence immediately interrupted to say that "TikTok is controlled by the Chinese communist party." Continuing criticisms he'd made in an earlier interview, Pence said that TikTok "compromises the privacy of Americans every day." Ramaswamy responded "And that is why we will end it once we win this election." This immediately drew a strong response from from South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (also a former US ambassador to the UN): Nikki Haley: This is infuriating, because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps - Ramaswamy: Yes it is. Haley: - that we could have. And once you've got - honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say. Because I can't believe that - here you've got a TikTok situation. What they're doing is these - 150 million people are on TikTok. That means they can get your contacts, they can get your financial information, they can get your emails, they can get - Ramaswamy: Let me just say - Haley: - your text messages, they can get all of these things. Ramaswamy: Hurling - this is important. This is very important for our party - Haley: China knows exactly what they're doing. Ramaswamy: This is very important for our party, and I'm going to say it - Haley: And what we've seen is you've gone and you've helped China go make medicines in China, not America. Ramaswamy: Excuse me, excuse me - Haley: You're now wanting kids to go and get on this social media that's dangerous for all of us. You went and you were in business with the Chinese... We can't trust you. We can't trust you. We can't have TikTok in our kids' lives. We need to ban it. [Loud applause] Moderator: You have 15 seconds, Mr. Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy: I think we would be better served as a Republican party if we're not sitting here hurling personal insults, and actually have a legitimate debate.

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