TikTok Faces Potential US Ban as Biden Prepares to Sign Legislation
Written by Deborah Oyinloye on April 24, 2024
The US Senate has given its seal of approval to a significant bill with far-reaching implications that could lead to the ban of TikTok within America. Under this landmark legislation, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has been granted a nine-month window to divest its ownership stake, failing which the popular app could be barred from operating in the United States.
The bill now awaits the signature of US President Joe Biden, who has expressed his intention to enact it promptly upon its arrival on his desk. TikTok has yet to provide an immediate comment on the Senate’s decision, although ByteDance had previously voiced its opposition to any compelled sale of TikTok.
Should ByteDance be coerced into selling TikTok by US authorities, any proposed deal would necessitate approval from Chinese regulators. However, Beijing has adamantly declared its intent to resist such a manoeuvre.
This legislation was bundled with a series of other bills, including provisions for military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region. It garnered significant bipartisan support in the Senate, with 79 senators voting in favour and only 18 opposed.
Senator Marco Rubio, the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, remarked, “For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist Party to control one of the most popular apps in America, which was dangerously short-sighted. A new law will compel its Chinese owner to divest the app. This is a positive step for America.”
Concerns over the potential exposure of sensitive data belonging to millions of Americans to the Chinese government have spurred congressional efforts to sever ties between TikTok and its Beijing-based parent company.
In response to the bill’s passage, TikTok argued that it would infringe upon the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, adversely impact seven million businesses, and result in the closure of a platform contributing $24 billion annually to the US economy.
ByteDance maintains that it is not an agent of the Chinese government and refutes claims that it is a Chinese entity, citing the majority ownership stake held by global investment firms. TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, affirmed the company’s commitment to safeguarding the platform, pledging to utilize all available legal avenues to protect its interests.
While TikTok has mounted a vigorous lobbying campaign and rallied support from users and creators against the proposed ban, legal experts anticipate protracted legal battles that could extend over two years. Furthermore, if ByteDance fails to secure a buyer for its stake within the stipulated nine-month timeframe, any enforcement action against TikTok in the US may be delayed further.
Source: BBC
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Author: Deborah Oyinloye
With an interest in media, Deborah aims to impart the lives of people positively.
