On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill giving TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, about six months to divest the short-video app’s US assets or face a nationwide ban. Here’s an overview of the effort to ban the app, its chances in the US Senate, and what that would actually entail.
Why are US officials Trying to Ban TikTok?
US officials warn that TikTok’s management is beholden to the Chinese government. Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, said at a House of Representatives intelligence committee hearing this week that China could use the social media app to influence the 2024 US elections.
The Department of Justice recently warned lawmakers that because ByteDance is headquartered in Beijing, TikTok’s American users are vulnerable to “foreign governments like the PRC (China), that are known for their surveillance and censorship.”
What Does The Bill Mean?
In an election year when many politicians do not want to be perceived as soft on China, the bill is the latest in a string of measures addressing national security concerns. Officials from both political parties have raised concerns about TikTok, as well as other issues such as connected vehicles, advanced artificial intelligence chips, and cranes at US ports.
Many younger voters, on the other hand, are opposed to a ban because they use the app to express themselves and stay informed about politics. Last month, President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign joined TikTok, giving company officials hope that legislation would not be introduced this year.
Who Voted in Favor of The Ban?
The bill passed 352-65 in a bipartisan vote, with the majority of Republican members of Congress supporting it. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House of Representatives’ Select China Committee, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat, introduced the measure with more than a dozen other lawmakers on March 5.
Several prominent Democrats in the House voted against the bill, including House Democratic Whip Kathleen Clark, Arizona Senate candidate Ruben Gallego, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the leaders of the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Transportation, and Intelligence committees.
“There are serious antitrust and privacy questions here, and any national security concerns should be laid out to the public prior to a vote,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.
The bill was voted down by fifteen Republicans and fifty Democrats.
How Would a Ban be Enforced?
If passed by the Senate in its current form and signed into law by Biden, the bill would give TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance approximately six months to divest the short-video app’s US assets.
It is unclear whether China would approve any sale or if TikTok’s US assets could be sold within six months.
If ByteDance failed to do so, Apple, Alphabet’s Google, and other app stores would be unable to legally offer TikTok or web hosting services for ByteDance-controlled applications.
In theory, the ban would make it difficult, if not impossible, for users to use TikTok in the United States.
Is TikTok Banned in Other Countries?
In June 2020, India banned TikTok and dozens of other Chinese-developed apps, citing concerns about national security and integrity. In November 2023, the Nepalese government banned the app.
Several countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, have banned TikTok from federally owned devices.
What’s Next for TikTok in the U.S.?
The TikTok bill passed by the House faces a more uncertain future in the Senate, where some favor a different approach to regulating foreign-owned apps that raise security concerns. Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, stated that the legislation will be reviewed.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, who will play an important role in the Senate’s next move, stated that she wants legislation “that could hold up in court,” and that she is considering a separate bill, but is unsure of her next step.