Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, along with Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), has introduced a bill requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats posed by terrorist organizations using foreign, cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications.
“More than 20 years after 9/11, the advent of cloud-based technology has given terrorist groups even more tools to use in their pursuit of deadly chaos,” Chairman Pfluger stated. “Foreign-controlled apps like TikTok and encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram have shined a disturbing light on the lengths America’s enemies will go to attack our way of life and radicalize young minds with violent extremist ideology, as well as the terrifying potency of their grotesque messages when disseminated on platforms with almost unlimited reach. Considering the heightened threat landscape created by terrorist organizations around the world, especially as we’ve seen just last October with the devastating terrorist attack in Israel, DHS must take steps to assess and address this threat before it’s too late.”
Rep. Panetta emphasized the importance of addressing these vulnerabilities: “Advancements in foreign cloud-based messaging present new challenges in our work countering terrorism. This bipartisan legislation would ensure the Department of Homeland Security is properly monitoring these vulnerabilities and assessing the threats they pose to our national security. Better understanding how terrorist networks communicate is essential to stopping future attacks.”
Background information highlights that foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications such as TikTok and Telegram have become breeding grounds for radical extremism. Organizations like Hamas, Hizballah, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and others frequently use these platforms for recruiting members, fundraising, provoking violence, and coordinating activities.
Following Hamas' October 7, 2023 terror attacks in Israel, there have been multiple instances where Hamas’ military wing used foreign applications to spread extremist content online and call for further attacks against the United States and Israel.
In December, Chairman Pfluger held a roundtable addressing anti-Semitism on U.S. college campuses through social media following Hamas' attacks against Israel. In March, a hearing was convened to examine Iran’s axis of resistance's implications for homeland security and U.S. interests.
In May, Committee Chairman Mark E. Green (R-TN) and Subcommittee Chairman Pfluger sent a letter to now-impeached DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting information about efforts by DHS and FBI concerning anti-Semitic pro-Hamas mobs on college campuses.
Recently millions of TikTok users viewed videos glorifying Osama bin Laden’s "Letter to America," promoting al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks against the United States. Pro-ISIS TikTok accounts celebrated a recent Paris attack where an individual pledged allegiance to ISIS before committing violence.
In January, Chairman Pfluger requested a briefing from Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray regarding an interagency review of TikTok owned by Chinese firm ByteDance Ltd., which he received in February.
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