The United States House of Representatives has approved a bill that could lead to the banning of TikTok, social media platform owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The bipartisan legislation gained support and concerns about national security and data privacy.
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The bill named the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, received resounding bipartisan support in the House, with 352 members voting in favor and only 65 opposed. This shows bipartisan consensus on the need for action regarding TikTok’s ownership.
TikTok has soared in popularity since its inception, having over 170 million users in the U.S. The app’s parent company, ByteDance is based in Beijing and has faced problems over its ties to the Chinese government.
Lawmakers have long voiced about TikTok’s threat to national security citing fears that the Chinese government could access user data.
Concerns intensified due to China’s national security law which mandates cooperation with intelligence gathering.
The legislation known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, mandates ByteDance to divest its stake in TikTok within six months.
Failure to comply could result in the app’s ban in the U.S. The bill received bipartisan support in the House, with 352 representatives voting in favor.
The bill now moves to the Senate for review where its fate remains uncertain. President Joe Biden has pledged to sign the legislation into law signaling a united front against national security threats posed by foreign-owned apps.
Under the proposed legislation TikTok’s parent company would be given a six-month window to divest its controlling stake in the platform.
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Failure to comply with this requirement would result in TikTok being banned from app stores and web-hosting services in the United States.
Lawmakers have long expressed apprehensions regarding TikTok’s ties to China and the potential for data exploitation by the Chinese government.
Concerns have been raised about ByteDance’s obligation to comply with Chinese national security laws which could compel the company to share user data with Chinese authorities.
The bill’s passage underlines the bipartisan consensus on addressing national security risks associated with TikTok. Both Republicans and Democrats have rallied behind the legislation.
The ban on TikTok has concerns among its user base particularly creators who rely on the platform for income and outreach.
With over 170 million users in the US and millions of small businesses utilizing TikTok for marketing and engagement.
While the House has taken decisive action the bill still needs to navigate the Senate and secure the president’s signature to become law.
Legal challenges and free speech considerations may have obstacles to the implementation of a TikTok ban. The Chinese government has opposed previous attempts to force ByteDance to sell TikTok.
TikTok’s user base has mobilized in response to the legislative developments, with creators urging their followers to engage with lawmakers and oppose the ban.
The platform’s efforts and public outreach could shape the debate in the Senate and influence the fate of the legislation.
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