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House Votes on TikTok Ban: What's Next for the Popular App in the US?
Written by Harlie Mast
March 26th, 2024
As of Wednesday, March 13th, the U.S. House passed a bill, dubbed The Protecting Americans from Foreign adversary Controlled Applications App aiming to make TikTok unavailable in the United States unless ByteDance divests its ownership of the app. The Protecting Americans from Foreign adversary Controlled Applications App passed with a 252-65 vote and now heads for the Senate. If passed, the legislation would give TikTok approximately 6 months to divest. Failure to do so would result in TikTok, along with other ByteDance-owned apps, being unsupported in the U.S., effectively banning TikTok.
On March 5th, Representatives Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., introduced the act, considering TikTok a national security threat due to its ties to a foreign adversary. Just two days later, an unanimous vote from House members was made. The bipartisan support for the bill reflects concerns about ByteDance’s connections to the Chinese Government and Communist Party.
Lawmakers assert that ByteDance collects extensive user data, raising fears that it could be compelled to hand over such data to Chinese authorities under the country's stringent national security laws. These concerns have heightened amidst escalating tensions between the United States and China, with technology and data privacy as the frontmen.
The passage of this bill through the House signals a significant step in the ongoing scrutiny faced by TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance. While TikTok has enjoyed immense popularity among users, particularly younger demographics, its operations have come under increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators regarding data privacy and national security.
As the legislation now moves to the Senate, the fate of TikTok in the United States hangs in the balance. The outcome of Senate deliberations will not only shape the future of TikTok but also have broader implications for the regulation of technology companies with international ties.