The House of Representatives passes a bill threatening to ban TikTok
Days after it was initially proposed, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that threatened to outlaw TikTok. In a rare display of bipartisanship, the House voted 352 to 65 on Wednesday to adopt the bill.
The Senate will now consider the bill. Should the bill pass and become law, ByteDance would have six months to sell TikTok before being blocked from US app shops and web hosting providers.
Though it wasn't the first attempt to outlaw TikTok, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Controlled Apps Act was able to get more support far more swiftly than other measures.
Two days after it was introduced, last Monday saw the measure's first procedural vote in the House of Representatives.
The Senate will now consider the bill. Should the bill pass and become law, ByteDance would have six months to sell TikTok before being blocked from US app shops and web hosting providers.
Though it wasn't the first attempt to outlaw TikTok, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Controlled Apps Act was able to get more support far more swiftly than other measures.
Two days after it was introduced, last Monday saw the measure's first procedural vote in the House of Representatives.
The bill's future is now less certain when it proceeds to the Senate. While some senators have been reluctant to publicly endorse the bill, Senator Rand Paul has stated that he plans to filibuster it.
TikTok called the law unconstitutional, claiming that it might hurt creators and businesses who depend on the service and rob around 170 million Americans of their fundamental right to freedom of expression.
Users received notifications from the corporation last week asking them to encourage their politicians to oppose the bill.
Staff members in Congress stated that a large number of calls, mostly from youngsters, were flooding their offices. Later, lawmakers charged the business with attempting to sabotage the legislative process.
TikTok called the law unconstitutional, claiming that it might hurt creators and businesses who depend on the service and rob around 170 million Americans of their fundamental right to freedom of expression.
Users received notifications from the corporation last week asking them to encourage their politicians to oppose the bill.
Staff members in Congress stated that a large number of calls, mostly from youngsters, were flooding their offices. Later, lawmakers charged the business with attempting to sabotage the legislative process.
The plan is opposed by free speech and digital rights groups as well. Many of them point out that broad privacy regulations could be more successful in safeguarding the data of American users than a specific app-focused measure.
Donald Trump, the former president, expressed his opposition to the plan and suggested it may help Meta's business. He had previously attempted to force ByteDance to sell TikTok.
The bill sets a troubling precedent for excessive government control over social media, according to a letter to lawmakers from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union, Fight for the Future, and the Center for Democracy and Technology. The letter also stated that similar measures from other countries will probably be called for, which would have serious consequences for freedom of expression worldwide.
Donald Trump, the former president, expressed his opposition to the plan and suggested it may help Meta's business. He had previously attempted to force ByteDance to sell TikTok.
The bill sets a troubling precedent for excessive government control over social media, according to a letter to lawmakers from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union, Fight for the Future, and the Center for Democracy and Technology. The letter also stated that similar measures from other countries will probably be called for, which would have serious consequences for freedom of expression worldwide.
If the bill gets enough votes in the Senate to pass it, President Joe Biden stated he plans to sign it into law.
Previously, his administration had forced ByteDance to sell TikTok. Because of its connections to China's ByteDance, officials maintain that the software poses a risk to national security. TikTok denies these allegations.
Previously, his administration had forced ByteDance to sell TikTok. Because of its connections to China's ByteDance, officials maintain that the software poses a risk to national security. TikTok denies these allegations.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill that could potentially ban TikTok, a move that has sparked debate in Congress. Learn more about this legislation and how it could impact ByteDance, the Senate, and the future of the popular social media platform.
