ICYMI: Bill to Ban Tiktok, Other ‘Foreign Adversary’-Controlled Apps Was Filed Just This Week

A bill was filed this week in the House of Representatives that proposes to ban applications controlled by “foreign adversaries” in the Philippines, which includes popular social media app TikTok, which is owned by the China-based company ByteDance.

House Bill 10489, authored by Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr., seeks to prohibit the distribution, maintenance, and update of any app deemed to be controlled by a foreign adversary.

Moreover, the bill, if signed into law, will give the President power to designate a country as an adversary based on whether it poses a threat to the Philippines’ national security and territorial integrity.

Lawmaker Abante specifically raised concerns about TikTok’s data collection practices, alleging that the Chinese government could potentially leverage this data to influence public opinion in the Philippines. He referenced similar concerns and actions taken by the United States and India, where bans on TikTok have already been implemented.

The bill would also restrict internet service providers (ISP) in the Philippines from supporting these foreign adversary-controlled applications. This would limit new downloads and user interaction with the content of these apps.

Abante emphasized that the goal is to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting technology and public utilities to threaten Philippine national security.

The bill further raises concerns about China’s growing involvement in critical Philippine infrastructure, citing Chinese companies’ ownership stake in both the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and DITO Telecommunity Corporation.

Abante said that these Chinese companies are owned by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) which makes them by extension, under the ownership of the Chinese Communist Party.

The bill proposes penalties for violators. Those who distribute, maintain, or update foreign adversary-controlled apps could face imprisonment and fines, with violators who will be caught distributing, maintaining, or updating such foreign adversary-controlled apps could face imprisonment of 6 years to 12 years and a fine ranging from PHP5 million to PHP10 million.

ISPs supporting these apps could also face imprisonment of 3 years to 6 years and a fine of PHP500,000 to PHP4 million. (GFB)