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Congress has officially set a vote that would force ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell the social media platform or face a potential ban in the United States. This decision is tied to a larger $95 billion legislative package that would provide aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and Gaza.
According to lawmakers, the vote is scheduled for Saturday and would give ByteDance a year to divest TikTok, a change from an earlier version that permitted only six months. The revision appears to have garnered additional support, notably from Maria Cantwell, chair of the US Senate Commerce Committee. Cantwell’s approval significantly boosts the bill’s prospects for becoming law, following prior bipartisan support in the House.
In support of the new bill, Cantwell argued the necessity of a more extended divestment period, which would provide adequate time for a proper sale process. “Extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done. I support this updated legislation.”
Meanwhile, TikTok criticized the legislative move, labeling it an unfortunate maneuver to leverage foreign and humanitarian aid discussions to enforce the bill. The company also highlighted potential First Amendment violations and the impact on American businesses that utilize the platform, suggesting that the legislative action could harm free speech and economic activities.
Digging Deeper:
ByteDance and its popular app TikTok have been at the center of national security debates. US officials, including those from President Joe Biden’s administration, argue that the app presents security risks due to potential data sharing with the Chinese government. Contrarily, TikTok maintains that it has never shared US user data with China and pledges never to do so.
