The US Increases Citizen Data Security, Especially For Foreign Companies

US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo. (photo: twitter @SecRaimondo)

JAKARTA - US President Joe Biden's administration announced its efforts this week to address US national security concerns over the handling of US citizen data by foreign companies.

Trade Minister Gina Raimondo said in a US Senate hearing that her department is working "to secure our communications and technology networks, and we are now recruiting teams to carry out monitoring, investigation, and law enforcement."

Raimondo told Reuters after the hearing that "we recruited dozens of people" to "look for any company that could pose an oversecurity risk to our network or data."

Concerns about TikTok held by Chinese company ByteDance have sparked new efforts at the US Congress to power up in handling it or potential to ban the popular short video sharing app.

On Wednesday, April 26, government agencies Biden notified senators in a previously unreported closed session of "foreign enemy exploitation of American data from social media platforms, data brokers, and other companies," Republican senator Jerry Moran said.

Under the Minister of Trade for Industry and Security, Alan Estevez, was among those discussing the threat of a chain supply of information and communication technology (ICTS), the department said.

A number of about 20 senators attended the session organized by the Trade Committee, aide senator said.

Last month, Senators Mark Warner and John Thune along with 24 other senators proposed a Bill on Restrictions to grant the Department of Commerce of New Power to review or block transactions involving foreign companies that pose a national security risk.

"I think this is a top priority and we need to act quickly," US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a Senate hearing on Wednesday on the legislative effort. "It's not just one company and it's a constant and equitable threat, and we need a well-funded and skilled permanent tool."

The White House and Raimondo support the Restrictions Bill. Critics say the bill is too widespread and harms American civil liberties including more than 150 million US TikTok users. TikTok denies that they are illegally using US data.

Raimondo said his department had been active in dealing with threats from China.

"I have put more than 200 Chinese companies on the entity list during my tenure and we are active, constantly investigating additional threats and if and when we think companies need to be included in the list, I will not hesitate," he said.