TikTok’s chief executive has expressed disappointment after the House of Representatives passed a bill banning the popular social media app on Wednesday, urging users to contact their senators and request that the bill banning the popular social media app now be introduced in the Senate. He urged the public to vote against the bill.
In a video posted to TikTok, CEO Xiang Chiu vowed not to stop fighting to prevent the bill from becoming law and called on people to continue to voice their opposition to the bill. .
“We will never stop fighting and advocating for you. We will continue to do everything we can, including enforcing our legal rights to protect this amazing platform we have built with our customers. I believe we will get through this together,” Chu said in the video.
“We encourage you to keep sharing your stories, share them with your friends, share them with your family, share them with your senators. Protect your constitutional rights. Make your voice heard ” he added.
The House easily passed the Protecting Americans from Regulatory Applications by Foreign Enemies Act on Wednesday by a vote of 352-65. The bill would force TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the app within 165 days or face a ban on app stores and web hosting services in the United States.
Supporters of the bill say the bill is aimed at curbing the national security risks posed by ByteDance, which could potentially share sensitive data of U.S. users with the Chinese government. . However, TikTok has rejected accusations that it poses a national security risk, a position Chu reiterated in his TikTok videos.
He began the video by sharing his thoughts on the “disappointing vote in the House” and saying he wanted to clarify misinformation.
“Over the past few years, we have invested in keeping our customers’ data safe and our platform safe from outside manipulation. We are committed to continuing to do so,” he said. Told. “This bill, if signed, would lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States.”
It is unclear whether the Senate will advance the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement that the Senate “will consider the bill as soon as it is introduced by the House.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Vice-Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) issued statements of support after the House vote, highlighting strong bipartisan support for the bill in the House. emphasized.
“We are united in our concern about the national security threat posed by TikTok, a platform with tremendous power to influence and divide Americans. Its parent company ByteDance remains at the mercy of the Chinese Communist Party. is legally required,” they said.
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