'Out and out lie': Rand Paul spars with Fox & Friends over TikTok ban

Things got heated between Fox News host Brian Kilmeade and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) during a segment on Fox & Friends this Thursday as the two discussed the potential ban of the social media platform TikTok in the United States and whether or not the app is controlled by the Chinese government.

According to Kilmeade, the app's alleged link to China is “national security issue" since its algorithm is controlled by the Chinese. But Paul countered that the app's alleged ties to China are not as straightforward as lawmakers and some in the media are suggesting. The conversation then turned tense as the two argued who the actual owners of TikTok are.

“Who owns that company? ByteDance. ByteDance is owned by China,” Kilmeade said.

“No. It’s not. See, that’s a lie,” Paul replied, accusing Kilmeade of defaming the company and its owners.

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“Who controls the algorithm? It’s not nonprofits. Who owns the algorithm!?” Kilmeade asked.

“TikTok owns the own algorithm and it’s not in China,” Paul replied, adding, “You just told a lie. You can’t say something on TV something that’s a lie by a company. That is an out and out lie and it is provably false."

“What is a lie?” Kilmeade responded.

“They are not owned by the Chinese government! TikTok is owned privately,” Paul countered.

“ByteDance controls the algorithm. That’s all that matters!” Kilmeade said.

Kilmeade went on to accuse Paul of being “comfortable with TikTok influencing America."

“I’m comfortable with the Constitution. You cannot take people’s property without due process,” Paul said. “If you believe there’s a national exemption to the Constitution then you believe that Fox News could be shut down, that Twitter could be shut down. That’s a terrible thing to believe.”

Watch the video below or at this link.