News: The box that hasn’t been Tik’d

Friday, March 24, 2023

The box that hasn’t been Tik’d

Mar 24, 2023

By Lara Korte, Jeremy B. White, Matthew Brown and Ramon Castanos

Presented by Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue

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:

RepLaMalfa

WHERE’S GAVIN? In Yolo County, making an announcement on drought conditions.

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

Five oil refiners produce nearly all of California’s gasoline. In 2022, refiners used their market dominance to set high gasoline prices, making excessive profits while Californians struggled to make ends meet. Californians paid $2.61/gallon more than the national average while refiners tripled their yearly profits. Vote yes on SBX1-2 to hold Big Oil accountable by creating transparency and oversight of oil markets while authorizing the CEC to impose a price gouging penalty.

TOP TALKERS

— “Why is Pajaro not deemed a FEMA disaster after massive flooding from California storms?” by the Los Angeles Times’ Susanne Rust and Ruben Vives: “It’s been nearly two weeks since a levee breached on the Pajaro River, flooding the nearby unincorporated community of Pajaro and sending its roughly 3,000 residents into what county officials suggest could be a months-long exile. Despite promises from Gov. Gavin Newsom that a request for federal aid was forthcoming, no such entreaty has been made.”

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CAMPAIGN MODE

AHSHA'S ASCENT — “S.F. Mayor Breed may have a challenger in next year's election. Here's who's looking to run,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s J.D. Morris and Mallory Moench: “San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safaí has publicly confirmed what City Hall insiders have known for months: He is considering running against Mayor London Breed, who’s up for re-election next year.”

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

— “Opinion: Gov. Newsom's gas plan would hold Big Oil accountable,” writes Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Oakland) in The East Bay Times: “While oil companies were raking it in, Californians were paying for it in record high gas prices — $2.61 per gallon higher than the national average. We were charged those sky-high prices even though the cost of crude oil was down and there were no changes to state taxes, fees or regulations. While we all know that gas has always cost a bit more here than in other states, it’s never been by that much.”

HOUSEKEEPING — State launches probe of cannabis licensing to 'clean house' of corruption, by the Los Angeles Times’ Adam Elmahrek: “There have been pay-to-play schemes, including a demand for cash in a brown paper bag for a pot license, threats of violence against local officials, and city council members accepting money from cannabis businesses even as they regulated them.”

— S.F. tiny homes could count as real housing under state proposal, by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Heather Knight: “The shift in thinking would allow residents to become tenants and stay longer than they can in emergency shelters, perhaps using 30 percent of their income or government-funded vouchers to pay rent. Private landlords are often reluctant to accept vouchers, and currently, 40,000 to 50,000 Section 8 vouchers are going unused in California, according to the governor’s office.”

— “L.A. Unified 'strike camps' promised child-care relief — if parents could find them,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Sonja Sharp: “The district handed out 124,526 grab-and-go meal packages Tuesday, each providing breakfast and lunch for three days for one child. That effort reached about a third of its 422,276 students. Yet just over 1,300 students were dropped off at district-run strike camps, and only a few hundred more showed up at those put together by the city.”

— “'Fed up' California workers across industries demand more amid rising cost of living,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Mackenzie Mays: “They are backed by a wave of Democrat-led legislation making its way through the state Capitol — converging with ballot measures and funding requests from Gov. Gavin Newsom — to create a workers’ rights moment that seems unique even for one of the most union-friendly states in the nation.”

— Newsom wants to give Hollywood a big new perk. Will lawmakers agree? by the Los Angeles Times’ Laurel Rosenhall: “Movie studios would be eligible for a long-sought perk under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to let them convert a portion of their state tax credits into cash payments, essentially creating a government subsidy for Hollywood that California doesn’t offer to any other industry.”

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— Judge sentences Jan. 6 defendant who breached Pelosi’s office to 36 months in prison, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney: Attorneys for Riley Williams — a devotee of white nationalist Nick Fuentes who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and was 22 at the time of the attack — repeatedly urged U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to treat her like an immature child who couldn’t be responsible for her actions.

A message from Elected Officials to Protect America - Code Blue:

California lawmakers must protect families from Big Oil’s greed. SBX1-2 will hold Big Oil refiners accountable by mandating transparency and oversight of oil markets while authorizing the California Energy Commission to impose civil penalties on refiners who have engaged in price gouging.. Chevron, Marathon, Phillips 66, Valero and PBF Energy produce 98% of the gasoline consumed in California and in 2022, they used their market dominance to nearly triple their yearly profits by hiking up the price of gas. Last year, California families struggled to make ends meet as they were charged $2.61/gallon more than the national average. SBX1-2 will establish a new independent watchdog to deter Big Oil from ripping off Californians, while improving transparency in the oil industry so the state can root out the causes of pricing irregularities. Learn more

MIXTAPE

— “Dick Van Dyke injured in Malibu car accident amid Los Angeles downpour,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Christi Carras.

— “End of the rainbow? California bill would ban sales of Skittles, other 'toxic' snacks,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Christian Martinez.

— “NPR cancels 4 podcasts amid major layoffs,” by NPR’s David Folkenflik and Mary Yang.

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here.

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