Lawmakers in the United States recently passed a bill supporting legislation targeting the Chinese app TikTok. Inspired by India’s ban on TikTok in 2020, the House of Representatives voted 352 to 65 in favor of the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The bill, co-authored by Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, aims to regulate ownership of foreign apps like TikTok within the US. It gives TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, around six months to sell its US assets or face a ban.
The move follows concerns about national security linked to TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. The bill requires ByteDance to divest from TikTok within 165 days or leave the US. Only if ByteDance sells its interests can TikTok continue operating in the US. Additionally, the bill mandates ByteDance to give up its algorithm responsible for personalizing content to user preferences for TikTok to remain in the US.
India’s ban on TikTok in 2020 due to national security concerns spurred similar actions worldwide. The lack of transparency from TikTok executives and their failure to protect user privacy prompted other countries like the European Union and Canada to ban the app on government devices. With the bill passed in the House, it now moves to the Senate before reaching the White House for the President’s signature.
Despite concerns about TikTok’s ownership, White House Press Secretary Karine Jeane-Pierre clarified that the bill does not ban apps like TikTok outright. Instead, it aims to ensure that ownership of such apps does not fall into the hands of those who could exploit them or pose a threat to national security. According to reports, TikTok boasts over 170 million users in America.
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