learnedutoday
The United States Senate passed legislation on Tuesday requiring the popular social media app TikTok to sever ties with its Chinese parent company Byte Dance or face expulsion from the US market.
This measure was part of a $95 billion foreign aid package, which also included military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The legislation has now been approved by Congress and awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
US and Western officials have expressed concerns about TikTok’s widespread popularity among young people, alleging that it enables Beijing to collect data and conduct surveillance on users. With 170 million users in the United States alone, critics argue that TikTok serves as a tool for spreading propaganda and operates under Chinese influence. Both China and TikTok refute these allegations.
The bill, passed by the Senate with a 79-18 vote, comes just three days after it received strong bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.
President Biden has indicated his intention to sign the legislation, having previously raised concerns about TikTok during a rare phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month.
TikTok expressed disappointment following the House vote, criticizing lawmakers for attempting to rush through a ban that would infringe on the free speech rights of millions of Americans and disrupt businesses that rely on the platform, which contributes significantly to the US economy.
Under the terms of the bill, ByteDance must sell TikTok within a year or face removal from Apple and Google’s app stores in the United States. Former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has expressed interest in acquiring TikTok and has assembled a group of investors.
TikTok has been under scrutiny from US authorities for several years over concerns about data privacy and national security. However, any attempt to ban the app could lead to legal challenges.
The legislation passed by Congress also grants the US president the authority to designate other applications as national security threats if they are controlled by countries deemed hostile.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk voiced opposition to banning TikTok, arguing that such action would infringe on freedom of speech and expression.
Haseeb Abdullah
