TikTok faces ban in US after House passes bill which could stop app sales
The US House of Representatives just passed a bill that could see the popular social media site TikTok banned in the US unless its Chinese parent company allows it to be spun off by an American one.
The bill passed with a vote of 352-65, with just 15 Republicans and 50 Democrats voting in opposition to the legislation. It will now go to the Senate, which must also pass it before President Joe Biden can either sign it into law or veto it, sending it back for a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers. Biden previously said that if the law is passed by Congress, he would sign it.
If the legislation becomes law, Chinese company ByteDance Ltd. will be forced to sell it or risk it being banned completely in the US. Lawmakers have said the app poses a national security threat, as reports indicate the company can easily access the date of its consumers.
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The bill passed the House after a 352-65 voteWorries sprung up after Chinese national security laws compelled the country's companies to assist with intelligence gathering — and as the US and China find themselves in a Cold War, of sorts, when it comes to technological and medical advancements, the US doesn't want to invite any opportunity for the Chinese government to spy on US citizens and potentially steal American ideas.
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More than 150 million Americans use TikTok, meaning the legislation would affect just under half of America's entire population if it goes into effect. The majority of users are younger generations, including GenZ, Millennials and the latest upcoming generation, Generation Alpha.
Republican Representative Cathy McMorris of Washington State said that the House has "given TikTok a clear choice." But not every representative was as happy as she is that the bill passed.
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The vote comes amid the ongoing Cold War, of sorts, with China as well as the 2024 presidential election (AFP via Getty Images)Opposition came from both parties, with Democrats voicing concerns about business owners and entrepreneurs who rely on the platform to promote their companies and products and Republicans stating that citizens should simply be warned of any data privacy or propaganda concerns but should still be allowed to use the app if they choose.
"The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism," Republican Representative Tom McClintock of California said after the vote. "The answer to CCP-style propaganda is not CCP-style oppression. Let us slow down before we blunder down this very steep and slippery slope." The CCP is the Chinese Communist Party.
The legislation also comes after Biden and his administration reportedly met with a top national security official behind closed doors on Tuesday to discuss the app and what implications it has for national security. Lawmakers are said to be balancing security concerns with their support for free speech.
The bill's author, Republican Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, said after the briefing: "What we've tried to do here is be very thoughtful and deliberate about the need to force a divestiture of TikTok without granting any authority to the executive branch to regulate content or go after an American company."
The security briefing only seemed to solidify everyone's opinions on the bill, however, with those in favour of it being more so after the meeting and those against it opposing it more harshly.
Nevertheless, it's now up to the Senate to pass it, which Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said is up in the air. He told reporters he'd have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine what path the bill could take, which will ultimately determine if it even makes it to the Senate floor for a vote. It is being thoroughly reviewed.
Senators have said they're not eager to rush ahead with the legislation, stating that it's better to take the time to review it and not act too fast on it, lest mistakes are made that can be hard to recover from.
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The House is much more eager to pass the bill, hoping to act fast against China and to solidify the US's stance against the country through tangible legislation. The bill was introduced just last week, and it was brought to the floor for an official vote in just days after a unanimous committee vote.
It was reported that, during the committee's deliberations, constituents relentlessly called their representatives to demand that they not push the bill through, harshly opposing the measure. The representatives ignored the demands and even shut off their phones to stop the onslaught of calls.
The Republican representatives pushing the bill forward are also doing so against the wishes of former President Donald Trump, who is the party's forerunner ahead of the 2024 presidential election in November that will see him pitted against Biden. It has created a separation in the party between him and other Republicans, many of whom now oppose him and don't want to see him back in office.
Trump opposes the bill — not because he likes TikTok, which he doesn't, but because he hates Facebook, and he believes that a TikTok ban would help Facebook's business boom, which he doesn't want. After he lost the 2020 election to Biden, Trump has bashed the social media platform constantly, which was one of many to ban him after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Ironically, Trump himself attempted to ban TikTok when he was in office but without success, as courts blocked the move after TikTok sued, arguing that the ban would violate free speech and due process rights.
Ultimately, the bill represents the latest move in the dangerous game of chess the US is playing with China as it works to confront the country on several issues related to national security and competition. It's also a move against tech industries, which the House has been waring with in a nasty feud.
Lawmakers have been critical of tech platforms and their expanding influence, and they've had their fair share of clashes with executives in the industry over their practices.
TikTok has also vehemently denied the>
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