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ByteDance and its video-sharing app TikTok are on the brink of being banned in the U.S. Reuters reports that The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a TikTok ban next week, demanding ByteDance divest from its popular app or face a ban in the U.S.
Last week, U.S. lawmakers introduced the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which bares U.S. app stores and web hosting services from distributing apps controlled by foreign adversary countries. The bill requires those apps, including TikTok, to cut ties with their hometown parent company to continue operating in the U.S.
Accordingly, The U.S. House of Representatives will hold a meeting next week to vote on legislation that gives a six-month deadline to ByteDance to distance itself from TikTok. In other words, ByteDance has to sell its interest in the app and should have no control over its data.
TikTok needs to cut ties with ByteDance to escape a ban in the U.S.
The legislation goes on to vote after the Energy and Commerce Committee cast a 50-0 vote to support the move. It seems U.S. lawmakers are unanimous about banning TikTok in the U.S. unless the app cuts its ties with China-based ByteDance.
With its staggering 170 million users in the U.S., TikTok has become a part of many people’s daily lives. As the fastest-growing app in the country, the recent news of a potential ban comes as a shock. TikTok has been under U.S. scrutiny since 2020, especially after former President Donald Trump accused the app of serving the interests of the CCP.
TikTok always denied its ties with CCP, but U.S. lawmakers have another idea
Despite TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew making multiple appearances at U.S. Congress hearings and vehemently denying the allegations, the threat of a ban looms large. This suggests that U.S. lawmakers are determined to halt the app’s operations in the country.
According to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the lawmakers will vote to “force TikTok to sever their ties with the Chinese Communist Party.” TikTok’s lobbying for blocking the legislation have all previously failed.
A TikTok spokesperson has already voiced their concerns, stating that the legislation is an outright ban on TikTok, regardless of any attempts to disguise it. The app also argues that such legislation could potentially infringe on First Amendment rights and harm U.S. businesses.