Press Releases

Bipartisan Bill Provides Better Guidance on Possible Risks Surrounding Foreign Owned Mobile Apps

Washington - Last week, Representative Jack Bergman (MI-01) and Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced the bipartisan Bolstering America’s Defenses Against Potentially Perilous Software (BAD APPS) Act. This legislation will protect our national security by ensuring that defense personnel have a better understanding of the potential risks of downloading apps onto their cellular devices. Representative Sherrill secured a version of this bill in Section 1858 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

Foreign actors have increasingly used programs like fitness applications, video games, and social media applications like Tik Tok to gather sensitive information from defense personnel while at home or abroad. This legislation would require the Department of Defense to create an accountable, analytic risk framework to comprehensively evaluate potentially dangerous cell phone apps. From this risk framework, the Department of Defense is authorized to issue internal guidance to personnel on how to limit risks from certain foreign mobile applications and their proximity to sensitive DoD activities.

“Our adversaries are flooding app stores with seemingly harmless apps that present a real danger to our national security. The BAD APPS Act will ensure our national security personnel have proper guidance on these evolving threats to make smart decisions. I’m proud to work with Rep. Sherrill to introduce this bill and ensure news, games, and other mobile phone applications do not compromise our defense employee’s movements, sensitive facility locations, or movements of critical national security hardware,” said Representative Bergman.

“It is crucial that our national security professionals and servicemembers have all the pertinent information needed to make smart cyber decisions when they are on the job or at home. That’s why I am proud to introduce the BAD APPS Act, legislation that takes a proactive approach to help the Department of Defense keep track of potentially dangerous cell phone applications,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Our servicemembers and civilian defense personnel perform important duties across the globe to keep our country safe. We cannot allow a foreign adversary, company, or individual to compromise our national security by targeting an individual's data through a seemingly innocuous app on their phone.”

The BAD APPS Act has been endorsed by With Honor Action. Original cosponsors of the bill include Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ashley Hinson (IA-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jason Crow (CO-06), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).

“In our digital age, ensuring the safety of our defense employees’ data is paramount,” said Representative Newhouse. “Bad foreign actors are adding malware to seemingly harmless mobile applications which open the door to numerous critical national security systems. This legislation aims to close that door and prevent our adversaries from gaining access.”

“With Honor Action is proud to endorse the BAD APPS Act. The proliferation of mobile apps poses a unique challenge to our national security when downloaded on our servicemembers’ phones. It is essential that the DoD be forward leaning in helping military members make rationale, risk-based assessments on which apps they download, especially given the sheer volume of available apps and their opaque nature. Members of our military want to do the right thing and this bill helps provide them with the guidance to do so,” said Tom Seaman, Legislative Director, With Honor Action.