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TikTok Could Be Banned In The U.S
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By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 7, 2024
TikTok could be banned in the U.S. if a new bill passes.
The globally popular short-video platform owned by the Chinese firm ByteDance, is again at the center of US political scrutiny.
But a new draft bill, if passed, could ban the app in the US unless ByteDance divests TikTok.
The proposed bill mandates ByteDance must either sell TikTok or see it removed from US app stores and web-hosting services within a specified timeframe of just over five months after the bill is passed.
Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Democrat Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi have introduced the legislation.
They voice national security risks associated with foreign adversary-controlled apps, specifically targeting TikTok and other services by ByteDance.
Gallagher said: “America’s foremost adversary has no business controlling a dominant media platform in the United States.”
Krishnamoorthi added that the bill would give the US president tools to “press dangerous apps to divest and defend Americans’ security and privacy.”
"An outright ban of TikTok"
A TikTok spokesperson called the bill “an outright ban of TikTok.”
They said it would infringe on First Amendment rights and impact the vast community of 170 million American users and 5 million small businesses that rely on TikTok in the US.
Another bill is looking to regulate data brokers selling information to foreign entities or those controlled by foreign adversaries.
the move illustrates the broader legislative effort to address data privacy and national security concerns related to foreign technology companies.
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This legislative push against TikTok is part of a larger, ongoing effort by US lawmakers to address security concerns linked to the app's Chinese ownership.
Despite previous attempts to limit or ban TikTok on security grounds, such as the RESTRICT Act and a proposed statewide ban in Montana, legislative and legal challenges have prevented any definitive action.
The platform remains a significant social media presence in the US.
According to Pew Research Center findings, its usage among Americans has increased significantly over the past few years.
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