US House Passes Bill Targeting TikTok Amid National Security Concerns

On Saturday, the House passed a bill aimed at banning TikTok from the United States unless its China-based owner sells its stake within a year. However, the app’s future remains uncertain despite this legislative move.

The decision to include TikTok in a broader foreign aid package, a priority for President Joe Biden with strong bipartisan support for Ukraine and Israel, expedited the ban process after a previous version had stalled in the Senate. Initially, a standalone bill proposing a six-month selling deadline had overwhelmingly passed the House in March, reflecting bipartisan concerns over national security issues associated with ByteDance Ltd., TikTok’s Chinese owner.

The revised measure passed with a vote of 360-58, is now headed to the Senate. Negotiations extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is underway. However, potential legal challenges could further prolong this timeline. ByteDance has hinted at legal action to block the law, arguing that it would infringe upon users’ First Amendment rights.

TikTok has vigorously opposed the legislation, rallying its 170 million U.S. users, particularly the younger demographic, to voice their opposition to Congress. However, this pushback has irked lawmakers, who harbor broader concerns about Chinese threats to U.S. interests, despite many of them being non-users of the platform.

The swift progression of this bill through Congress is notable, as it specifically targets a single company and represents a departure from the traditionally hands-off approach to tech regulation. Lawmakers have historically hesitated to intervene in tech matters, despite growing calls to address issues like child protection online and user privacy.

Both Democrats and Republicans, along with intelligence officials, have expressed concerns about potential Chinese government influence over TikTok, fearing data exploitation or content manipulation. TikTok has denied these allegations, asserting its independence from Chinese authorities and its commitment to protecting user data.

ByteDance’s history of legal battles in the U.S., including successfully challenging previous attempts to ban the app, suggests a potential avenue for resisting the current legislation. However, the outcome remains uncertain, with the company facing mounting pressure from both lawmakers and public sentiment.

Despite the bill’s passage, some voices have criticized its approach as overly restrictive, potentially stifling free speech and imposing significant economic consequences. Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat, voted against the legislation, suggesting that less drastic measures could have been pursued.

For TikTok content creators like Nadya Okamoto, who rely on the platform for income and advocacy, the bill’s potential repercussions are a source of considerable concern. The uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future underscores the broader implications of tech regulation for millions of users and content creators alike.