Wednesday, the House passed a bill by a large majority that would have banned TikTok if it did not separate from its parent company. This sudden move came after years of failed talks about the platform’s fate. The bill, which passed 352 to 65, strongly criticizes the popular video-sharing app from both parties. It also addresses claims that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, poses threats to national security.
Lawmakers Are In Support Of Restricting The App
Lawmakers have been trying to limit the company’s activities in the U.S. for years, but their efforts have failed. As lawmakers said, the Biden administration’s growing support for the effort and worries about TikTok’s ability to affect U.S. politics sped up these long discussions behind the scenes.
Reports from top law enforcement and national security officials, including a secret hearing last week, were a “call to action” for Congress to “finally” stand up to TikTok, according to House Energy and Commerce Committee member Kathy Castor (D-Fla.). It needs to be clarified whether the meetings with the FBI, the Justice Department, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed any new evidence against the company.
Take of President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden made an official TikTok account in February as part of his re-election campaign. He has said that he would sign the bill if it passes, and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the White House is giving “technical support” in writing the bill.
Response by Shou Zi Chew
About 172 million people in the U.S. use TikTok. Lawyers in Washington, D.C., say they have been getting a lot of calls from TikTok users who are against the bill. This has made the app’s future a big issue. Reports say that Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, is going to Washington, D.C., this week. In a video, Chew said the bill would become law if it were signed after the vote.
The business would also use legal means to stay open, he said. The company has 165 days to sue after President Joe Biden signs the bill. Last week, Biden said he would do that. Many politicians in Washington do not want to be seen as soft on China because they are running for office, but more and more people want the bill to become law. Few people are sure a ban would help young people who want to vote.
ByteDance to Divest TikTok
Those who wrote the bill in the House have said in the past that it “does not ban TikTok.” However, the bill says that ByteDance must remove TikTok within six months so that the app can “remain available in the United States.” People who run app stores, like Apple and Google, and websites would be unable to support TikTok or other apps that use ByteDance if the bill becomes law.
Conclusion
We need to find out what the meeting behind closed doors revealed about how the company works. Some members are worried about how the bill will affect free speech, privacy, and competition. Lawmakers have been trying for years but have been unable to pass laws that would punish tech companies for allegedly abusing their power to control content and privacy and running misleading businesses.
