TikTok Facing “Ban” in the US After House Representatives Pass Bill
TIKTOK is facing a “ban” in the US after the House Representatives passed a bill demanding that the app be sold by its Chinese owner. Lawmakers are said to have acted on concerns that the social media platform’s current ownership structure is a national security threat.
US House of Representatives Approves Bill to Force TikTok Divestment
The measure would give TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance six months to divest the US assets of the short-video app – or face a ban. It comes amid concerns over ByteDance’s alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Bipartisan Support and Opposition to TikTok Ban
Passed in the US House of Representatives by a vote of 352-65, the bill now faces a more uncertain path in the Senate where lawmakers have indicated it will undergo a thorough review. The Senate will also need to pass the measure for it to become law.
President Biden’s Stance and ByteDance Allegations
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not indicated how he plans to proceed. But President Joe Biden has said if Congress passes the measure, he will sign it. Lawmakers contend that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, so it could demand access to the data of TikTok consumers in the US any time it wants.
TikTok’s Response and Denial of Allegations
No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise said, “This is a critical national security issue. The Senate must take this up and pass it.” Both opposition and support for the move has been bipartisan. TikTok today urged senators to listen to their constituents before taking any action. TikTok has denied that it can be used as a tool by the Chinese government, claiming that it has never shared US users’ data with Chinese authorities and would refuse to do so if asked.
Challenges and Hope for Resolution
Opponents to the bill criticised it for employing “CCP-style oppression.” The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism. 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 measure is the latest in a series of moves in Washington to respond to US national security concerns about China, from connected vehicles to advanced artificial intelligence chips to cranes at US ports.
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