Bergman Introduces Bill to Protect Personal Data from China

Press Release

Yesterday, Rep. Jack Bergman introduced H.R.4793, the Protecting Personal Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, to prevent mobile applications from engaging in the theft of user data on behalf of a communist country, foreign adversary, or state sponsor of terrorism.

Specifically, this legislation allows the US to prohibit the use of mobile applications or software that provide US citizens' data to a communist country, a foreign adversary, or a state sponsor of terrorism.

The bill also authorizes sanctions on mobile applications that are stealing the personal data of U.S. citizens and sharing it with the government of China or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This bill would also require a determination into whether or not Chinese-owned companies like WeChat and TikTok meet the criteria for the imposition of such sanctions.

The text of the Protecting Personal Data from Foreign Adversaries Act has been included in the Republican Study Committee's larger Countering Communist China Act, which is comprehensive legislation to counter China and the Chinese Communist Party's hostile activities.

Rep. Bergman stated, "From its human rights abuses to its military mobilization, China has been left unchecked for too long. Even though our National Defense Strategy is extremely clear about the ongoing threat to U.S. national security interests posed by China, the Biden Administration has shown it is unwilling to take the necessary steps to confront this growing threat. By passing serious policy measures that confront China and the CCP we can hold China accountable and be an example to the rest of the world that the U.S. will not tolerate these nefarious activities.

"I'm proud to have legislation included in the Republican Study Committee's comprehensive bill. H.R. 4793 is one piece of the overall effort to show that we will not tolerate companies stealing the personal data of U.S. citizens and giving it to China or any other nation considered to be a threat to our national security. China and the CCP actively threaten the free, open, and democratic world which we have so long fought to achieve."

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