In a remarkable moment of bipartisan unity, the US House of Representatives resoundingly passed a bill on Wednesday. This legislation aims to compel TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest from its Chinese ownership within 180 days or face a ban from the Apple and Google app stores in the United States.
The politically divided Washington, 352 lawmakers voted in favor of the proposed law, while 65 voted against it. The proposed legislation looms as a significant challenge for the video-sharing app, which has witnessed a meteoric rise in popularity worldwide.
However, it also stirs apprehension due to its Chinese ownership and the potential influence of the Communist Party in Beijing.
The future of the bill hangs in uncertainty as it faces scrutiny in the Senate. Several influential figures express hesitation about taking such a bold step against an app that boasts 170 million users in the United States.
LISTEN:@JohnKennedyLA joins @johnrobertsFox and @SandraSmithFox to discuss the future of the House bill that passed overwhelmingly this morning that would force the sale of TikTok from Chinese-based ByteDance or face a U.S. ban. #AmericaReports pic.twitter.com/LpCrJqB8CN
— America Reports (@AmericaRpts) March 13, 2024
“The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden will sign the bill, officially known as the ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,’ into law if it reaches his desk.”
“The legislation also grants the president the authority to label other applications as national security threats if they are controlled by countries deemed adversarial to the United States.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the recent resurgence of Washington’s campaign against TikTok caught the company off guard. TikTok executives had been reassured when President Joe Biden joined the app last month as part of his campaign for a second term.
House lawmakers will vote on a bill next week that could ban TikTok in the U.S.@jayobtv has more on the "groundswell of momentum on this legislation" that will "force a sale of TikTok from it's Chinese parent company." pic.twitter.com/F6MlvMdknn
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) March 8, 2024
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is currently in Washington, where he is actively working to garner support against the proposed bill.
Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s vice president for public policy, expressed grave Constitutional concerns regarding the swift passage of this new legislation. The bill is being expedited without the opportunity for a public hearing, raising alarm bells about its potential implications.
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