Urgent vote ahead: US House targets ByteDance to divest TikTok or face ban،
Next week, the US House of Representatives will try to force TikTok to cut ties with its parent company ByteDance. The goal is for ByteDance to sell its interests in the harmful-like short-video app within six months to avoid a ban in the United States. The move comes after the Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously 50-0 in favor of the measure, marking an important step toward the toughest U.S. action against TikTok. TikTok has around 170 million users in the country, since President Donald Trump's failed attempt to ban the app in 2020 (via Reuters).
Efforts to regulate TikTok had previously been hampered due to the company's intense lobbying. However, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced that lawmakers would vote to “force TikTok to sever its ties with the Chinese Communist Party.” TikTok says it has never and will never share US user data with the Chinese government, arguing that this bill essentially acts as a ban. The company criticized the legislation, saying it infringes on the constitutional free speech rights of 170 million Americans, negatively impacting millions of businesses and creators.
Before voting, lawmakers received a classified briefing on the national security risks posed by TikTok ownership. Rep. Frank Pallone expressed hope that the legislation would lead to divestment from TikTok, allowing Americans to use it and similar platforms without fear of foreign control. Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced the bill to alleviate these safety concerns, suggesting a restructuring rather than a ban to eliminate the risks.
The proposed bill sparked significant backlash from TikTok users, who contacted their representatives en masse, following the app's warnings of a possible ban. The legislation gives ByteDance 165 days to divest from TikTok, after which app stores like Apple and Google will be prohibited from offering TikTok or hosting services for apps controlled by ByteDance.
