Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has opposed efforts to ban TikTok in the United States, saying it violates the First Amendment and is “not what America represents.”
Musk added that the ban would likely benefit social media platform X, which he acquired in October 2022, but that he does not support the ban.
“In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the United States, even though such a ban may benefit Platform X,” Musk said. I have written Friday. “To do that would be a violation of freedom of speech and expression. That’s not what America stands for.”
The Tesla CEO’s position on the issue comes days after House Republican leaders unveiled a bill centered around national security priorities that would include Chinese parent company ByteDance’s The agreement includes language that would prohibit the use of TikTok in the United States if the company’s business operations cannot be separated. Communist Party within 12 months.
The amendment would extend ByteDance’s app sales period from six months to one year, an adjustment that Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) welcomed. .
Cantwell announced Wednesday that he supports the amendment. This is an important development for the bill to gain more support in the Senate.
The first bill to ban the platform, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Hostile Control Applications Act, was introduced last month. The bill passed the House of Representatives just a week after it was introduced, but it also faced opposition from former President Trump.
“I am very pleased to be appointed chairman.” [Mike] johnson [R-La.] And House leaders have taken my recommendation to extend the ByteDance sale from six months to one year,” Cantwell said Wednesday. “As I have said, the sale period needs to be extended to allow a new buyer sufficient time to complete the transaction. I support this latest bill.”
Musk’s position on the ban aligns him with progressive Democrats who have expressed similar concerns about the bill’s potential to infringe on users’ free speech rights.
President Biden said he would sign the TikTok bill into law if it passes both chambers of Congress.
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