TikTok’s days may be numbered after the House of Representatives passed a bill on Saturday that would ban the popular social media app nationwide unless its Chinese owners sell it.
Under the bill, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 360-58, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has up to a year to divest its capital before the ban begins.
President Joe Biden has already expressed support for the effort, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced plans for a larger package, including three bills that would provide billions of dollars separately to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region. attached to foreign aid packages.
A previous version passed by the House earlier this year gave ByteDance six months to sell, but that plan died in the Senate. Given that this measure is attached to a foreign aid package, it will be difficult for the upper house of Congress to ignore.
Approximately 170 million Americans use TikTok, which has sparked a huge debate in the country, pitting First Amendment supporters against those concerned about national security.
Preparing to vote: See who’s running for president and compare their positions on important issues with our voter guide
“The House of Representatives is using the cover of critical foreign and humanitarian aid to reinstate a ban that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, destroy 7 million businesses, and shut down the platforms that contribute to them.” “It’s unfortunate that they’re trying to disrupt the US economy, which generates $24 billion annually,” TikTok said in a statement to USA Today on Saturday.
Free speech and national security concerns
Critics have been debating for more than a year how ByteDance could hand over users’ personal information to China and its communist-led government.
As of now, there is still no public evidence that the app is being used to spy on U.S. citizens, but Forbes reported earlier this month how TikTok mishandled the data of its top advertisers. Ta.
Opponents of the bill, including Sen. Rand Paul, say it would unconstitutionally limit Americans’ right to free speech and would impact small business owners who profit from using the platform. It is claimed that it is possible to give
If the ban goes into effect, it would be the first time the U.S. government has shut down an entire social media app and is likely to spark a legal battle in court.
A Pew Research poll released in December found that 38% of Americans support banning TikTok, compared with 27% who oppose it and 35% who are unsure about the idea. This is lower than the 50% who said Congress should introduce an app last March.
The study also found that these attitudes reversed when asked to American adults under 30. Among young Americans, 41% oppose a ban, compared to 29% who support it and 30% who are still unsure.
Reporters Riley Begin and Jessica Guinn contributed to this article.
