In a significant move, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a revised bill this afternoon targeting TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, which mandates the sale of the popular social media platform or faces a potential ban in the United States.
The efforts to curb TikTok date back to the Trump era but have gained fresh momentum in recent months. This new version of the bill expands the timeframe for ByteDance to divest TikTok to nine months, compared to the previous six-month deadline, and allows for a possible 90-day extension at the discretion of the president.
Senate Commerce chair Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) expressed support for the extension, noting that it increases the likelihood of a successful divestiture.
The bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, tallying 360-58 votes. It’s part of a broader legislative package that includes foreign aid provisions for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, strategically introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson to attract conservative backing.
The Senate is expected to consider the bill in the upcoming week, and President Joe Biden has signaled his backing, promising to sign it into law. In response, TikTok is poised to challenge the legislation in court.
The Biden administration has emphasized the national security risks posed by TikTok, citing concerns over user data collection and the potential for Chinese government influence and propaganda dissemination. House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) described TikTok as a “spy balloon in Americans’ phones,” highlighting its perceived threat to personal privacy and national security.
TikTok has vehemently opposed the renewed legislative push, criticizing the bill as an infringement on free speech rights and warning of severe economic repercussions affecting millions of Americans and businesses.
Civil liberties organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union, have also voiced opposition to previous attempts to ban TikTok, citing concerns about the implications for digital freedom and privacy.
