THE BUZZ: California has enacted some of the most sweeping tech privacy laws in the country, but unlike more than 30 other states and the federal government, it hasn’t yet banned TikTok from government devices. The social media giant was not so much grilled as it was broiled by a congressional panel Thursday, wherein members interrogated CEO Shou Zi Chew about how the Chinese government might be using the app to collect sensitive data on Americans. China owns a stake in the app’s parent company, ByteDance. Nearly 150 million Americans use the short-form video platform, and President Joe Biden is demanding the parent company sell the app or face an all-out ban in the United States. Chew’s efforts to avoid that fate and assure lawmakers that the Chinese government does not have access to the data of American users, was met with skepticism. “I find that, actually, preposterous,” said Silicon Valley Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo. The hearing reupped long-simmering tensions between tech companies and government, which have, on more than one occasion, come to a head in California. The state is not only home to some of the biggest social media players, but also to some of the most aggressive tech protection efforts in the country. The industry fought hard against a bill by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks last year meant to protect children’s online privacy. That law is now being challenged in court by a group called NetChoice, whose members include Meta, Google, Twitter and TikTok. Biden last year signed a law banning TikTok on all federal devices. And with more than 30 state legislatures also prohibiting the app on government devices, California is officially in the minority on this front. But that may not be the case for long. A bipartisan bill co-authored this year by Sens. Bill Dodd and Brian Jones would ban the downloading and installation of all “high-risk social media applications” to state devices, defined as any app where an entity or country “of concern” directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds more than 10 percent of the shares. Jones earlier this year deleted his own TikTok account and the Senate Republicans’ account, and urged others to do the same, citing security risks. Senate Bill 74 wouldn’t bar lawmakers from using such an app on personal devices, which may be welcome news. TikTok is immensely popular among Gen-Z and millennials and has become a common tool for California politicians and campaigns looking to reach younger audiences. Gov. Gavin Newsom, as one example, has nearly 166,000 followers on his official account, and another 271,300 on his personal one. Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte, perhaps said it best in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press NOW" following the TikTok hearing: “When we're discussing banning something, it's important to talk about the why. No one relishes taking that away from the people that enjoy using it.” BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. Newsom’s oil profits cap sailed through the Senate Thursday after a mere hour of debate on the bill. The next vote is scheduled for Monday in the Assembly Utilities and Energy committee. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up at jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “He’s made it very clear, maybe we’re not all God’s children, maybe we don’t all have a free will.” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi rekindling her feud with San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, a noted opponent of LGBTQ+ rights. BONUS QOTD: “I’ll be backing him enthusiastically.” California Rep. Ro Khanna joining other top progressives in backing President Joe Biden for a reelection bid. TWEET OF THE DAY:
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