Mark Cuban Leans Towards TikTok Ban, Says It's 'Stupid' To Let Foreign Powers Influence Millions Of Kids

Shark Tank host and billionaire Mark Cuban leaned towards supporting the TikTok ban bill. He raised concerns over foreign governments’ programming of children’s screens through the social media app, criticizing the lack of transparency in the process.

What Happened: Cuban took to Twitter on Thursday to voice his concerns about privacy issues tied to foreign governments having unrestricted access to program screens used by millions of children every day.

"Giving a foreign government Carte Blanche to program a screen that is inches in front of tens of millions of kids for hours a day with no transparency required is stupid."

Despite acknowledging the flaws in the bill under discussion, Cuban expressed anticipation for Senator Lee’s proposed solution to this issue.

Why It Matters: Cuban’s comments come amid a heated debate over the proposed ban on TikTok, a social media platform owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that, if approved by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden, would force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the U.S.

The proposed ban has sparked widespread concern, with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew warning of disastrous consequences for creators and small businesses, threatening “more than 300,000 jobs” in the U.S.

Tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk also expressed concerns over the potential for increased internet censorship.

Former President Donald Trump, who initially supported a TikTok ban, has now shifted his focus to Meta Platforms Inc., calling it the "real enemy."

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