In a significant move, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill that could potentially lead to a nationwide ban on the popular social media platform TikTok. The legislation mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its controlling interest within six months to avoid the app’s removal in the United States.
Bipartisan Support
The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 352-65. Despite this decisive House approval, the bill must still clear the Senate and receive presidential endorsement to be enacted into law.
Security Concerns
The legislative action stems from longstanding worries among lawmakers regarding the potential influence of China, where ByteDance is headquartered, on TikTok operations. Concerns are particularly focused on a Chinese national security law that could compel ByteDance to surrender user data to Chinese authorities.
TikTok’s Response
In attempts to alleviate these concerns, TikTok has claimed to implement measures that segregate US user data from ByteDance’s access in China. However, recent investigations, including one by the Wall Street Journal, suggest that data protection barriers remain inadequate, fueling further apprehension among US legislators.
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