House is likely to pass a bill that could ban TikTok, but it faces an uncertain path in the Senate
On Wednesday, a bill that could ban the popular video app TikTok from the United States will likely pass the House. This is due to lawmakers acting on concerns about the ownership structure of the company as a potential threat to national safety.
The bill would force the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok as well as other apps it controls, to divest within six months after the bill is passed or these apps will be banned. ByteDance, according to lawmakers, is a puppet of the Chinese government which can demand data from TikTok users in the U.S. at any time. This concern stems from Chinese national security laws which compel companies to help with intelligence gathering.
The passage of the legislation in the House is only the first step. Senate lawmakers have indicated that the bill will be thoroughly reviewed and passed by them before it becomes law. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he will consult with relevant committee chairmen to determine the bill’s course.
Joe Biden, the President of the United States, has stated that he would sign a bill if it passes in Congress.
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The House vote will likely open a new front for the long-running dispute between lawmakers and the technology industry. Members of Congress criticize tech platforms for their influence and often have disagreements with industry executives about the practices of these platforms. By targeting TikTok lawmakers single out a platform that is popular with millions, and many of them are younger, months before an upcoming election.
Before the House vote on Tuesday, a senior national security official from the Biden administration met with legislators in a closed door briefing to discuss TikTok’s national security implications. The lawmakers are trying to balance these security concerns with the desire not limit online free speech.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mike Gallagher said, “We’ve tried to be very thoughtful and deliberative about the need to enforce a divestiture from TikTok, without granting the executive branch any authority to regulate content or to go after any American companies.”
TikTok denies that it can be used by the Chinese government. The company says it will not share U.S. data with Chinese authorities if asked. The U.S. Government has also not yet provided any proof that TikTok had shared this information with Chinese authorities. About 170 million people in the U.S. use this platform.
The briefing on security seemed to have little effect, but instead it solidified the positions of both sides.
“We have an obligation in terms of national security to stop America’s greatest strategic enemy from interfering with our daily lives,” said Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY).
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) said that he has not received any information to convince him TikTok poses a threat to national security. “My opinion has not changed since I left that briefing,” he said.
Garcia stated, “I find it insane that we are going to ban entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and the primary way young people communicate with one another.”
“Not one thing we heard today in the classified briefing is unique to TikTok.” Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said that the same things happen on all social media platforms.
After its introduction last Monday, Republican leaders moved quickly to introduce the bill. The bill was approved unanimously by a House committee, with 50 votes, even though their offices had been inundated by TikTok users begging them to drop the effort. Some offices have even turned off their phones due to the overwhelming calls.
Both parties of Congress are eager to take on China in a variety of areas. House created a special China committee. Schumer instructed committee chairs to start working with Republicans on bipartisan China Competition Bill.
The senators expressed an openness towards the bill, but they also said that they didn’t want to move forward too quickly.
The history of technology shows that people make many mistakes. This is why Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore) said, “It’s not for me an redeeming quality to move very quickly in the field.”
House Republicans, by pushing forward with the legislation and enacting it, are creating a rare window of opportunity between them and Donald Trump who is seeking re-election to the White House.
Trump has expressed opposition to the initiative. He said on Monday that, while he believes TikTok is a threat to national security, he does not support its ban because it would benefit Facebook, the app’s rival.
Trump, as president, tried to ban TikTok with an executive order. The order cited “the proliferation in the United States of applications developed and owned companies in China” as a threat to the “national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States”. However, the courts blocked the action, after TikTok filed a lawsuit, arguing that such actions would violate the rights to free speech and due procedure.
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