The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban TikTok in the United States if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not divest its stake within a year. The legislation, passed by a vote of 360-58, aims to address concerns that TikTok poses a national security risk and could be used for Chinese propaganda.
The bill’s author, Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), stated that the app is “a spy balloon in Americans’ phones” and that the legislation protects Americans, especially children, from Chinese propaganda. The bill has strong bipartisan support and is part of a broader package of foreign aid and national security bills.
If passed, the law would require ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months, with a possible three-month extension if a sale is in progress. The company has opposed the legislation, arguing that it infringes on users’ First Amendment rights and would harm the US economy.
The bill will now head to the Senate, which is expected to vote on it next week. President Joe Biden has indicated that he will sign the legislation if it passes. If enacted, this would be the first time the US government has used legislation to shut down a social media platform.
