New Delhi: The United States House of Representatives passed a Bill requiring TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to divest its US assets within six months, or else face a ban, news agency AP reported.
According to the report, the Bill received bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 352-65. However, its future in the Senate is uncertain, as some senators prefer a different approach to regulating foreign-owned apps.
TikTok's fate has sparked significant concern among lawmakers, with both Democrats and Republicans receiving numerous calls from teenage TikTok users opposing the legislation.
Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell is considering alternative legislation but has not yet determined her next steps, according to the report.
Lawmakers argue that TikTok's Chinese owner could be compelled by Chinese national security laws to provide access to user data, raising concerns about privacy and security.
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“We have given TikTok a clear choice. Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party), and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok’s,” AP quoted member of the House of Representatives, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, as saying.
According to the AP report, President Joe Biden said that if Congress passes the measure, he will approve it.
The recent House vote underscores the escalating tensions between China and the US lawmakers are addressing what they perceive as a significant threat to America's national security by targeting TikTok. Yet, in doing so, they are also spotlighting a platform that is widely embraced by millions of users, particularly younger demographics, mere months before a crucial election.
However, critics contend that the proposed ban may have far-reaching repercussions for free speech and expression, global data transfer, and, most significantly, US-China relations.