The US House of Representatives pass a bill to ban TikTok app in the United States if it does not sever ties with China, citing national security concerns
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Saturday that would compel TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, or else confront a nationwide ban in the United States, where it currently boasts around 170 million users.
U.S. officials have expressed concern regarding the social media platform's popularity among young people, contending that it is subject to Beijing's influence and serves as a conduit for spreading propaganda.
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week and Joe Biden has said he "will sign the legislation if they pass it" in March.
The updated TikTok bill comes as part of House Republican speaker Mike Johnson’s foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
'TikTok is a spy ballon', U.S. fears Chinese data handling
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks at a hearing in Washington, April 28, 2023.
“This bill protects Americans and especially America’s children from the malign influence of Chinese propaganda on the app TikTok. This app is a spy balloon in Americans’ phones,” said Texas Republican representative Michael McCaul, author of the bill.
Officials have worried that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or direct the company to suppress or boost TikTok content favorable to its interests.
In March, Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, warned in a House intelligence committee hearing that China could use TikTok to influence the US’s 2024 presidential elections.
The U.S. government has not publicly provided evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government or tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.
'TikTok is an independent platform that contributes $24 to the U.S. economy'
Meanwhile, TikTok has repeatedly said that it has not and would not share U.S. user data with the Chinese government.
“TikTok is an independent platform, with its own leadership team, including a CEO based in Singapore, a COO based in the U.S. and a global head of trust and safety based in Ireland,” the company said.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew
“We will not stop fighting and advocating for you,” TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video that was posted on the platform and directed toward the app’s users.
Supporters of the TikTok app demonstrate outside of the US Capitol before the House of Representatives votes to pass the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” that could ban TikTok in the US, on March 13, 2024.
In response earlier this week to the House’s then upcoming vote, TikTok wrote a post on social media expressing its displeasure at the bill and the U.S.’s ability to “shutter a platform that contributes $24 to the U.S. economy, annually”.
“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans,” TikTok said, following the bill’s passage.
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