U.S. Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.

Two Republican U.S. senators each with their own set of conservative fans clashed recently over, of all things, the TikTok social media site.

Missouris own Josh Hawley proposed a bill last week that would effectively bar the Chinese-owned site to operate in the U.S., reported The Hill, a political news website.

Hawley pointed to a New York Times story which reported that TikTok engineers based in China have accessed users drivers licenses, addresses and photos of app users. He added that Chinese law requires corporations to make information and data available to the Chinese government.

But Sen. Rand Paul, who has strong libertarian leanings, slammed the door on Hawleys effort to get unanimous consent for his measure.

"If there is a better national strategy to permanently lose elections for a generation, Ive not heard of it, the Kentucky Republican said, referring to TikToks popularity with young people.

Suggesting that Hawley was promoting censorship, Paul compared the effort to McCarthyist paranoia.

Paul said Hawleys move comes while the GOP is complaining that liberal U.S. social media companies are canceling and censoring conservatives.

So without a hint of irony, many of these same, quote, conservatives now agitate to censor viewpoints they dont like, Paul said.

Hawley said his effort was not aimed at curbing free speech, but rather at China spying on the U.S. He pointed out that Congress last year approved removing TikTok from government-owned devices legislation that Paul also opposed.

Paul said the best way to combat TikToks influence is to counter flawed ideas or falsities with more speech and better arguments.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, visits the picket line at the General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville and comments on the CHIPS Act and Right to Work. Video by Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch

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Josh Hawley, Rand Paul clash over TikTok app - St. Louis Post-Dispatch