House Fast-Tracks TikTok Ban Bill Through Foreign Aid Package
The House passes a bill forcing TikTok's Chinese owner to sell the app or face a U.S. ban by attaching it to a major foreign aid package. The legislation now moves to the Senate for a potential vote.
The House of Representatives passes a bill that forces TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the popular video app or face a nationwide ban in the U.S. Lawmakers attach this measure to a sweeping foreign aid package that provides support to Ukraine and Israel, which helps accelerate the legislation through Congress. President Biden supports the effort, putting the potential ban on a fast track to becoming law.
This latest effort differs from a previous House bill by extending the deadline for TikTok to find a buyer, a change designed to address concerns from members of the Senate. The Senate plans to vote on the combined legislation as soon as Tuesday. If enacted, this measure marks the first time the U.S. government passes a law that could shut down an entire social media platform.
TikTok condemns the legislation as an unconstitutional attack that tramples the free speech rights of 170 million American users. The push for a forced sale stems from national security officials' fears that the Chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda or spy on U.S. citizens, although no public evidence currently proves these hypothetical concerns. TikTok maintains that it operates independently and has built a strong data firewall between its U.S. operations and its parent company.