United States House Of Representatives Votes 360 To 58 For Bill To Ban TikTok Over Ties With China, Senate Nod Next

The clock for TikTok to divest from Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban in the United States has started ticking, with the United States House of Representatives voting 360 to 58 in favor of the revised divest-or-ban legislation on TikTok on April 20.

The bill, if passed by the Senate and signed by Biden, will leave TikTok with no other option but to divest from its Chinese parent company or face a ban in the US, where it has around 170 million users.

The passage of the bill by the US House of Representatives on April 20 will be a historical occasion since it is the first time that a bill has been passed which could shut down an entire social media platform.

The bill is likely to be placed before the Senate in the coming weeks, and President Biden has already said that he will sign the bill if it is passed by the Senate, which will make the legislation a law.

The bill is the brainchild of Texas Republican representative Michael McCaul, who is well known for his hard stance and has said that the bill seeks to shield Americans, particularly kids, from the toxic influence of Chinese propaganda.

Michael McCaul said, “This bill protects Americans and especially America’s children from the malign influence of Chinese propaganda on the app TikTok. This app is a spy balloon in Americans’ phones.”

The bill was modified after a suggestion by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell in March to revise certain provisions, like extending the divestment period from TikTok’s parent company ByteDance from six months to a year. The extension was necessary to ensure that the new buyer has enough time to conclude the deal.

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TikTok’s US Legal Executive Shown The Way Out

The latest passage of the bill has led to the axing of the key executive tasked with addressing US government apprehensions regarding its ties to China. The US-based general counsel for TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, Erich Andersen, was in the forefront of negotiations with US authorities over several years. TikTok was trying to allay fears that the American users’ data could be utilized by China to influence American opinion, especially with the US Presidential Elections due in November 2024.

Concerns and Responses

TikTok has been banned in many countries like India amid fears that the social media parent company is based in mainland China and could feature elements from the Chinese Communist Party. The charges have been vehemently denied by the social media platforms and said that it is committed to its independence and user privacy.

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