Chinese-owned social media giant TikTok could soon be forced to cease operations in the United States if a bill recently passed by the House of Representatives becomes law. This bill is expected to have a very difficult time passing the Senate.
CBS News report Americans’ access to China’s TikTok is at risk as a bill aimed at banning the platform if it is not sold by a hostile foreign country now goes to the Senate for consideration . On March 8, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan “ban TikTok” bill by a vote of 397 to 16, forcing TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell its stake in the app or face a nationwide ban. He was given six months to face the charges.
The motivation behind the proposed ban stems from long-standing national security concerns over TikTok’s relationship with China. Lawmakers have argued that the Chinese government could use TikTok to spy on American users or manipulate the content they see to exert covert influence, and that the app’s ownership is limited to Beijing. It is argued that being located in a country poses a risk.
Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok Inc., during an interview at TikTok’s offices in New York, U.S., Thursday, February 17, 2022. (Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg/Getty)
TikTok has repeatedly denied the allegations and said it rejects requests for U.S. user data from the Chinese government. The company also pointed to its “Project Texas” initiative launched in 2022 to protect U.S. data on domestic servers as evidence of efforts to allay security concerns. TikTok insiders said that despite the claims, the Chinese government maintains “unparalleled access” to U.S. user data.
Despite these assurances, the bill quickly passed the House on a surprisingly bipartisan vote. But in the more deliberative Senate, its future is far more uncertain. Several senators, including Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), are pushing for passage, citing concerns about its constitutionality and risks to civil liberties. He is particularly reluctant to do so.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has not been enthusiastic about bringing the bill to a vote, but the White House is urging Congress to act “swiftly.” Senators like Mark Warner (D-VA) are engaged in preliminary discussions to find a possible path forward that could include amendments to the House bill.
Final passage of the bill appears to be in doubt, as any amendments would need to be approved again by the House of Representatives. Even if passed by Congress, the forced sale and divestiture that TikTok faces is fraught with complications, from the app’s likely high price tag to the need for Chinese government approval for the deal.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said he would not legally challenge the bill, saying, “It’s not realistic to do what we think the bill will do within the terms it sets out.” declared that he would file a complaint. The company will likely argue that the bill violates its First Amendment rights and the rights of the app’s 170 million U.S. users.
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship issues.
